CHAPTER XIII
Herbs & Herbalism

This chapter is a compendium of a variety of information captured electronically through the pagan computer networks. Authors are noted, and nothing has been changed from the body of the original message. You learn as much from how people talk about their subjects as from the subjects themselves.

Bookmarks:
Individual herbs - scroll down
Healing the Nervous System
Cherokee Herbology
Handbook of Botanical Incenses
Essential Oil Technical Data
Spring Herbwalks
Herbs and Nutrition in Pregnancy
Herbs for Animals
An Herb Garden for Bees
Herbal Wines and Teas
Sprouts for Water Bloat
Incenses
Advice for the Beginning Herbalism Student
Preparing Herbs
Fluid Extracts
History of the Apothecary Garden
Magickal Woods
Introduction to the Doctrine of Signatures

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Paul Seymour
Allspice (Pimenta Officinalis, P. Dioica), burned as an incense works well to promote healing, and banish bad luck, added to a tea or ointment, it hastens the healing process.
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) blossoms worn in a crown on the head speed healing processes, and is also one of the few herbal remedies good for migraine banishment.
Red Anemone (Anemone pulsatila) blossoms are very useful in healing Rituals.
Angelica blossoms and leaves make good ingredients for healing insences (Angelica archangelica).
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) also makes a good addition to herbal teas and incenses for healing purposes, I have personally seen this used in a homemade salve do wonders for rheumatism and arthritis as well as to speed the healing of insect bites and rashes.

I hope this is enough info to help get you started. B*B -Paul-

Joe Teller
HERB : Alstonia
BOTANICAL NAME : Alstonia Scholaris
SYNONYMS : Dita, Bitter bark, devil's tree, Pale mara, chhatim (India)
LOCALES FOUND : Eastern Asia, India, Philippines, Ceylon, Borneo. (Tropical rain forest)

Alstonia causes minor irritation of the genitals, in the male it prolongs erection and delays orgasm, acting as a general tonic & mild stimulant for the nerves and circulation. Except for use as an Aphrodisiac, it seems to have no medicinal values.

CAUTIONS: Chlorogenic Acid, the primary active ingredient, is a universal allergen and acts as a bladder irritant.

Alstonia is usually prepared by crushing two grams of the seeds and soaking them in two ounces of water overnight. The following day the Liquid is strained and drunk to produce the desired effect within a short period of time. The body does build up a tolerance to this herb over time, causing a need to increase the dosage over a period of time. Caution is advised against over usage of this herb in any short period of time.

Moss Bliss
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), also called agueweed, crosswort, feverwort, Indian Sage, sweating plant, teasel, thoroughwort, vegetable antimony, wood boneset. See p. 131 of The Herb Book by John Lust. Makes a very nice tea, and it DOES help. It is indigenous to the Eastern US and widely available in health food stores.

Gypsy
Comfrey

I was gonna post this in a reply to the comfrey question, but since you brought up the subject (more or less):

I remembered my books this time! Here's a recap. In a 1979 book entitled HERBAL MEDICINE by Dian Dincin Buchman, reference is made to certain laboratory research being done in England on young comfrey leaves. It is in a family that includes several herbs which contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are poisons. Another researcher states that 4 of the alkaloids known to be in young comfrey leaves are suspected carcinogens. In a 1988 book entitled THE NEW AGE HERBALIST (a dreadful title for a lovely book) the details are given as follows: Japanese researchers discovered pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey in 1968. Subsequent Australian research found that lab rats fed a diet of 33% comfrey leaf suffered liver cancer, although a similar experiment using the whole plant yielded little evidence of any kind of cancer. (In fact, the Japanese use a tincture of comfrey in vinegar for cirrhosis of the liver.) THEN, in 1989, in Joy Gardner's HEALING YOURSELF she refers to minute traces of carcinogens in some comfrey leaves and in most roots. Norman Fansworth, PhD, of the Univ of Illinois Pharmacology Dept suggested to her that an adult male or nonpregnant adult female would not be harmed by ingesting comfrey leaf tea 2 to 3 times per week.

The result of all this confusion is . . . . you guessed it! More confusion. Is it in the leaves, in the roots, or both or neither? (In WITCHES HEAL by Billie Potts she goes off on another tangent altogether, which I decided not to bring into this...) Is it a dangerous carcinogen as Buchman suggests or is it being maligned in the same way cyclamates were maligned - by feeding unrealistically large portions to cancer-prone lab rats? The jury is obviously still out and, since comfrey grows wild, it will have to remain out.

Lone Star
Datura
From Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs:

Datura spp. POISON. Folk names: Devil's apple, Ghost flower, Jimsonweed, Love-Will, Mad Apple, Madherb, Manicon, Stinkweed, Sorcerer's Herb, Thornapple, Toloache, Witches' Thimble, Yerba del Diablo.

Gender: Feminine Planet: Saturn Element: Water Powers: Hex-breaking, sleep, protection

Ritual uses:

Datura has been used in shamanic practices and religious rites for untold centuries. The Aztecs considered the plant to be sacred.

Magical Uses:

Datura is used to break spells by sprinkling it around the home. It also protects against evil spirits.

If insomnia persists night after night, it may be cured by placing some datura leaves into each shoe and then setting the shoes under the bed with the toes pointing towards the nearest wall.

A few datura leaves placed on the crown of the hat protects the wearer from apoplexy as well as sunstroke.

Datura is extremely poisonous -- do not eat. Sensitive skin may be irritated simply by touching the plant." pp 89-90

James Rhodes

from Deadly Beautiful, by Laurence Gadd:

Of the Solanaceae Family

Name:	Effect	Location
Datura arborea L. Datura fastuosa L. Datura ferox L. Datura Metel L. Datura meteloides Datura sanguinea Datura Stramonium Datura suaveolens Datura tatula L.	F. P. Tr. Nar. DC. Nar. Nar. P. S. Hyp Cosm Hyp. Hyp Cosm	S. America Old World China Tropic Americas W. North America America Tropic Tropics

F. P. = Fish Poison Nar. = Narcotic Hyp. = Hypnotic

Hope this helps some..

ECHINACEA - author not noted

The beauty of Echinacea is equal its value medicinally. The intense purple rosy and daisy-like flowers outshine most flowers in the herb garden. Even the Monarch butterflies find it attractive. This perennial plant's natural habitats are the prairies and dry plains of North America, mainly in the U.S.A., from southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, down into Texas.

The most common species of purple coneflowers are E. angustifolia, E. purpurea and E. pallida. E. angustifolia is in most demand medicinally though the other two mentioned species are just as effective when properly prepared. Below is a brief botanical description of the three common species:

E. angustifolia - is smaller and delicate, grows to 2 ft. Leaves are lanceolate with smooth margins. Flower petals do not droop but spread outward from the seed-head.

E. purpurea - grows to 5 ft. A robust plant with many ovate leaves. Leaf margins are toothed. Flowers are large with petals drooping towards the stem.

E. pallida - grows to 3 ft. Leaves are lanceolate with smooth margins. The color of the flowers vary from purple to white and are drooping.

The part of the plant used in herbal preparations is traditionally the root. When eating the fresh root an unusual tingling, numbing sensation occurs in the mouth and increases saliva flow. This anesthetic-like effect is also present in the seeds when sprouted. It is a good indicator as to how fresh the Echinacea preparation is.

With today' attention on immune deficiency diseases, this is one herb we cannot overlook. Research in Europe indicates that Echinacea does stimulate the immune system. This occurs when the polysaccharides present in the plant (complex carbohydrates which convert into sugars), stimulate the T cell lymphocytes, which in turn increases the production of interferon. This interferon activity protects cells against viral and bacterial infections. One polysaccharide named echinacin B has been isolated from E. angustifolia & E. purpurea and its effect is healing for inflammations, wounds and swellings.

Echinacea also contains an essential oil which has been tested in the treatment of tumors. One case history involves a strong reaction to mosquito and black-fly bites. Symptoms are abnormal skin swellings and swollen lymph nodes. Echinacea taken internally reduced the swellings.

Another case history involves the Epstein-barr virus, (a herpes-like virus). Ingestion of Echinacea over a period of time, along with dietary changes, improved the vitality of the immune system. Energy level increased along with an improved resistance to minor colds and flu. The Native Indians used Echinacea for snake bites. They were aware of Echinacea's blood cleansing properties and also used the plant for cancers and infections.

Echinacea is most effective when used in its fresh state. If you are buying dried roots chew a piece first, if there is no numbing sensation in the mouth then the roots are old or improperly dried. E. angustifolia dries well, though reports indicate that this species is sometimes substituted with E. purpurea or E. pallida and sold as E. angustifolia. The roots are best harvested in fall. Being a native plant this is one instance where we do not have to rely on importation and we should encourage the local herb farming of this species (although it does take at least 3 years for the roots to mature and make it worthwhile digging up the plant!).

Dosage of Echinacea tincture is up to 30 drops, 3 times a day for adults depending on the seriousness of the ailment. The tincture is usually taken for the duration of the illness, but of course there is a saying that you can take too much of a good thing, and this is true with Echinacea. For example if you drink coffee every day the pick me up effect will eventually over stimulate you or will cease to work. Do not ingest Echinacea continuously over a long period of time, give your body a periodic rest from the immune stimulation.

The only observed side effect from ingesting Echinacea is nausea, although this is rare. It usually indicates that the body is full of toxins, so decrease your intake of the herb.

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FEVERFEW: A HERBAL REMEDY FOR MIGRAINE?

"Some of the world's most effective medicines began their careers as herbal remedies: digitalis came from foxglove, aspirin from willow bark, and morphine from poppy blossoms. Potentially the newest plant to cross over from folklore to mainstream treatment is a member of the chrysanthemum family known as common feverfew or, botanically, Tanacetum parthenium.

"The name 'feverfew' indicates the belief, dating from the middle ages, that the herb was a good treatment for fever and certain other ailments, including arthritis, psoriasis, and headaches. In modern England, eating feverfew leaves has become a familiar method for prevention migraine attacks, and there is now some reason to think that the folklore about feverfew has a grain or two of truth to it. Some people for whom the usual migraine treatments have not been very effective have turned to feverfew. The typical users eats 1-4 fresh leaves a day. Food is usually taken at the same time to mask the leaves' bitter taste. Tablets and capsules containing dried feverfew have also begun to appear in...health food store shelves.

"To evaluate the remedy, a group of British researchers designed a controlled study. However, they did not feel free to give feverfew to people who had never taken it, because the agent has not gone through animal studies, as is appropriate before a drug is tested in people. But they hit on a human test of feverfew that was both rigorous and ethical. Many of the patients seen in the City of London Migraine Clinic had already been dosing themselves with feverfew for long periods of time as a way to reduce migraine attacks. So, instead of setting up a test in which the drug was GIVEN to subjects, investigators from the clinic set up a test in which feverfew was TAKEN AWAY.

"The doctors identified patients who were dosing themselves with feverfew and asked them to participate in a study. During the research period, the subjects would take their medication either as freeze-dried herb or as a placebo (presented in identical-looking capsules). After a period on one preparation, they would switch to the other, and then repeat the two stages again. In this type of "double-blind crossover" test, neither researcher nor subject is told which treatment is being given. However, patients easily guessed when they were receiving placebo because the frequency of headache and nausea virtually tripled, and severity also increased markedly. These results support the claim that a daily dose of something contained in feverfew may be effective in preventing migraine attacks.

"The people studied had no serious ill effects while taking feverfew, but that was to be expected, as they had been taking the herb for some time. People who had tried the plaint and then quit because they couldn't tolerate would have been excluded from this study. Feverfew is capable of producing rather marked allergic reactions; some people who try it develop sores in the mouth or, less commonly, a generalized inflammation of the mouth and tongue.

This first test of the effectiveness of feverfew must be regarded as preliminary. It will no doubt lead to more thorough testing, as it should. Even if feverfew pans out as preventive medicine for migraine, it probably will not prove to be the 'answer.' But it may join the growing list of effective treatments for a very unpleasant disorder."

Quoted from the April 1986 edition of the Harvard Medical School Health Letter, reporting on research appearing in the British Medical Journal, August 31, 1985.

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GARLIC - author not noted

Allium sativum - Garlic (Liliaceae)

Parts used - bulb. Fresh juice is most effective.

Constituents - contains volatile oil which is composed of allicin and sulphur related compounds plus citral, geraniol, etc. Allicin is the major odor principle and taste of garlic, It is generated by action of the enzyme alliinase on alliin. Under normal conditions alliinase and alliin are separated from each other inside the garlic bulb. However when the bulb is cut or crushed, the two are brought together and alliinase turns alliin (a non-volatile odorless sulfur amino acid) into allicin (a pungent volatile sulphur compound.

- also contains enzymes, mucilage, protein and lipids.
- also contains selenium-best known source, has antioxidant activity.

Properties- alterative, stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, antiseptic, antibiotic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, vulnerary, vermifuge. has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- the ingredient allicin inhibits growth of various bacteria, fungi, amoebas.
- inhibits production of harmful bacteria in the colon, for influenza, common cold and any types of viral infections.
- is natural penicillin - it has only 1% of the impact of penicillin but it is more effective with gram negative bacteria than penicillin.
- lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol
- use garlic oil for earaches.
- for prevention and elimination of heavy metal poisoning from the body on a daily basis-due to sulphur content.
- is rubefacient and use as poultice in acute pectoral and abdominal inflammation and for drawing pustules and boils to a head- for canker sores
- use in cookery as an aid to digestion
- commonly used in formulas to help strengthen immunity to disease.
- onions are similar but not as strong.
Overdose- induces blisters, irritations or dermatitis in some people.

Try this Recipe

Garlic Syrup- 1/2 pound peeled garlic buds equal amounts vinegar and distilled water (enough to cover garlic buds)
1/2 pint glycerine
1-1/2 pounds honey
Peel the garlic. Add equal amounts of vinegar and distilled water to cover the garlic. Use wide mouth jar, close tightly and shake well. Stand it in a cool place for four days. Shake it once or twice a day. Add glycerine. Shake the jar and let it stand another day. Strain the liquid with pressure through a sieve. Blend in the honey and place liquid in a labeled jar. Store in a cool place.
Optional: simmer three ounces of fennel seeds and/or caraway seeds for half an hour and add it to the mixture while it is steeping and before it is strained. Regular dose is 1 tsp three times a day.

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GOOP

The following is a recipe from Omaha pagans to cure the common cold. Mix equal parts of the following herbs, suffer while you place the mixture in capsules, and enjoy better health! Normal dosage is 2 or 3 capsules, 2 to 3 times per day. Caution: Do not mix this in a blender. Make a large batch, you may not want to ever do this again!

Cayenne Pepper (powdered)
Goldenseal Root (powdered)
Burdock Root (powdered)
Marshmallow Root (powdered)

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GOTU KOLA - Irene Yaychuk

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica, Hydrocotyle asiatica) is an herb often confused with another plant, the dried cotyledon (seed leaf) of Cola nitida, commonly known as kola nuts, a well-known ingredient of Coca-Cola containing 3.5% caffeine.[1] Gotu Kola is not a stimulant, but rather a very nutritious herb indigenous to hot, humid climates. Dr. John Heinerman, Medical Anthropologist, presented an address on Gotu Kola to the Second International Congress for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine, held at Airlanggu University in Surabaya, Indonesia, September 2-7, 1984. He stated that Gotu Kola is used as a nourishing food and a valuable medicine in many cultures. The Hosa and the Mfengu tribes in East Africa have used it for both purposes. In the Philippines, the leaves are either consumed raw in salads or as a tea for tonic and stimulant benefits to the body. The leaves have been employed medicinally in the French West Indies, and Brazil to cure uterine cancer, leprosy and elephantiasis. In the People's Republic of China, gotu kola is used for fevers, common cold influenza, sore throat and liver ailments such as cirrhosis and jaundice.[2]

Folk and traditional medicine have deemed this plant to be a brain food, beneficial for memory and senility. Pharmacist Varro E. Tryler states that there is currently no evidence to support the use of Gotu Kola as a longevity promoter or to substantiate the extravagant claims made for it as a revitalizing and healing herb. Substantial data on its safety and efficacy are, in his opinion, simply non-existent.[3]

However, separate clinical studies to substantiate folk claims for its alleged memory enhancing properties have been done in the United States and India.[4]

In India, Gotu Kola, an Ayurvedic herb, is called Mandookaparni. There, an impressive study dealt with the effect of gotu kola on general mental ability of mentally retarded children. Whole plants were dried in the shade, powdered, and made into 1/2 gram tablets. Half of the thirty children studied were given one gotu kola tablet and half a placebo tablet daily. Apart from nutritional deficiencies, the children had no major illnesses. A Binet-Kamat test was administered and the children's Intelligence Quotients were recorded. Separate tests were also administered to record any changes in the children's co-operation, memory, concentration, attention, vocabulary and overall adjustment. After three months, the tests were repeated.

The findings showed there was a very significant increase in both general ability and behavioral pattern, even in the short period of twelve weeks of administration of the herb. The difference in IQ increase between the two groups was 4.6%. [The most interesting observation was the overall general adjustment of certain children: those very shy and withdrawn, and who were very restless and fidgety became expressive, communicative and co- operative. It was also noted that youngsters taking gotu kola had increased their powers of concentration and attention.[5]

Another Indian study showed that gotu kola extracts administered over a period of 42 months to normal healthy adults in the 45-50 age group had several benefits: haemoglobin increased by a significant percent, and the mean levels of blood urea and serum acid phosphatase were decreased. Subsequent examinations have revealed that this herb has brought about a steady increase in blood sugar level (statistically significant).[6] A relationship between hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels, and mood swings, mental illness, fatigue, depression, confusion and schizophrenic tendencies is well documented. Dr. Heinerman feels that perhaps the 'memory enhancing' attributes of gotu kola may be attributed to the herb's ability to elevate blood sugar levels markedly.

Gotu kola is higher in the B-complex vitamin group than any other plant previously examined. This again may account for its effects on the brain.[7] It is especially high in thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), and pyridoxin (B6). B complex is necessary in providing energy for the body, by converting carbohydrates into glucose, a usable form of sugar for the body to burn. The B complex is responsible for the normal functioning of the nervous system as well.[8] A healthy nervous system allows for a better functioning and organized brain.

(Other nutrients include numerous free amino acids, especially aspartate, glutamate, serine, threonine, alanine, lysine, histidine, and aminobutyrate found in greater quantities in the roots, but also present in leaves.[9] The leaves also contain measurable amounts of provitamin A or carotene.)

Isolated constituents of gotu kola were applied locally on wounds in laboratory rats. This resulted in healthy new connective skin tissue and increased the tensile strength of the flesh, as well as decreased the size of the would area.[10] Asaticoside, a constituent of gotu kola was injected intra-muscularly or implanted directly into mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. It produced a rapid thickening of the skin, an increased production of white blood cells, increased growth of new blood vessels of the connective tissue, and an increased growth of hair and nails.[11] Lupus erythematosus was helped by extracts of gotu kola.

Other studies have indicated gotu kola to be effective for gastric ulcers, phlebitis and varicose veins. It has been used for leprosy and related skin disorders, eye lesions, and muscular atrophy.

One investigation of gotu kola was conducted in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University by a research psychologist who wanted to demonstrate gotu kola's amazing ability to overcome the negative effects of fatigue and stress when used in conjunction with cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens) and Siberian ginseng (Eleuthero- coccus).

Rodents were fed the three herbs by means of a surgical technique in which tubing was inserted under the skin, a couple of centimeters below the junction of the esophagus and stomach. Fatigue and stress situations were set up. One involved swimming in a bucket of cold water, and another was to jump a barrier in order to avoid a mild foot shock. Within 24 hours of administration of the three herbs, the animals could successfully clear the barrier after being dried off from the cold water treatment. Without the herbs, they required up to 72 hours to recuperate in order to jump the barrier. Dr. Mowrey concluded that a combination of capsicum, ginseng and gotu kola did have a beneficial effect on behavior of stressed or fatigued animals whose metabolism are similar in many respects to that of man.[12]

From this research carried out in 1975, several large American herbal companies developed an "energy and stamina" formula utilizing gotu kola. Some of these can be obtained at your local health food store.

1. Tyler, Varro E., op.cit. (?), p. 113
2. Heinerman, John, "An Herb for Our Time: The Scientific Rediscovery of Gotu Kola", unpublished paper, (Sept., 1984)
3. Tyler, op.cit., p.113
4. Heinerman, op.cit.
5. Rao, M.V.R. Appa, et. al, "The Effect of Mandookaparni (Centella Asiatica) on the General Mental Ability (Medhya) of Mentally Retarded Children", Journal of Indian Medicine (August 25, 1973), p.9-12.
6. Rao, M.V.R. Appa, et.al, "The Study of Mandookaparni and Punarnava for their Pasayan effect on Normal Healthy Adults", Nagarjun, (July, 1969) p.41
7. Heinerman, op.cit.
8. Heinerman, John, "Natural Nutrition", (Provo Utah: Woodland Books, 1984), p.85.
9. Heinerman, John, ed., "Gotu Kola", The Herb Report, (March 1984), p.2
10. Ibid., p.2
11. Ibid., p.2
12. Heinerman, "An Herb for Our Time"

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Pennyroyal - Gypsy

After hearing warnings about pennyroyal for years I finally got up the nerve to drink a cup of pennyroyal tea. Not only did I suffer no ill effects, but it was absolutely delightful and settled a mildly upset stomach quite pleasantly. I do think I'd avoid it were I pregnant, but other than that, I think it's another herb getting a undeserved bad rap.

On the question of pennyroyal, I'm only being mildly sarcastic. The danger is in ingesting pennyroyal --oil-- which is the recommended insect repellant. Interestingly enough, most of the herbal insect repellants I know of are also abortifacients. Makes me wonder???

Anyhow, should this conversation be taking place on a different echo, especially since neither comfrey nor pennyroyal has any really major magickal significance? (Rue, another abortifacient insect repellant, is a different matter...)

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The Nervous System:
Healing with Medicinal Plants.
Keith Stelling, M.A; Dip Phyt; M.N.I.M.H.

Herbalism is sometimes maligned as a collection of home-made remedies to be applied in a placebo fashion to one symptom or another... provided the ailment is not too serious and provided there is a powerful chemical wonder-drug at the ready to suppress any "real" symptoms.

We often forget, however, that botanical medicine provides a complete system of healing and prevention of disease. It is the oldest and most natural form of medicine. Its history of efficacy and safety spans centuries and covers every country on the planet. Because herbal medicine is holistic medicine, it is, in fact, able to look beyond the symptoms to the underlying systemic imbalance; when skillfully applied by the trained practitioner, herbal medicine offers very real and permanent solutions to very real problems, many of them seemingly intractable to pharmaceutical intervention.

Nowhere is the efficacy of herbalism more evident than in problems related to the nervous system. Stress, anxiety, tension and depression are intimately connected with most illness. And the herbalist finds his success accelerated by including in his treatment, medicine to free the body from the vicious cycle of interference from worry and nervousness that so often takes its toll on otherwise healthy systems.

Few health practitioners would argue with the influence of nervous anxiety in pathology. We know that the Xth Cranial Nerve, the Vagus, travels down from the medulla oblongata at the brain stem to innervate the pharynx, heart, bronchi, lungs and gastro-intestinal tract, including the small intestine, caecum, appendix and colon, supplying both motor and sensory fibers. It is not surprising that nervous stress can interfere directly in digestion. Nervous tension is generally acknowledged by pathologists to contribute to duodenal and gastric ulceration, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and many other gut-related pathologies. We know also from physiology that when a patient is depressed, the secretion of hydrochloric acid... one of the main digestive juices... is also reduced so that digestion and absorption are rendered less efficient. Anxiety, on the other hand, can lead to the release of adrenalin and stimulate the over-production of HCl and result in a state of acidity which may exacerbate the pain of an inflamed ulcer. In fact, whenever the voluntary nervous system (our conscious anxiety) interferes with the autonomic processes, (the automatic nervous regulation that in health is never made conscious), pathology is the result.

But few other health professionals have access to the scope of botanical remedies with their fine subtlety in rectifying this type of human malfunction. The medical herbalist knows, for example, that a stubborn dermatological problem can best be treated by using alteratives specific to the skin problem, circulatory stimulants to aid in the removal of toxins from the area, with re-enforcement of the other organs of elimination (liver and kidney); but above all he will achieve the excellent results for which phytotherapy is famous, by using herbs which obviate nervous interference in the situation and allow the patient to relax... perhaps for the first time in many months.

Curiously this is an approach which has never been taken up by orthodox medicine. There, the usual treatment of skin problems involves suppression of symptoms with steroids. Our subtle, non- invasive botanical nervines are not available in synthesized form. And the use of anti-histamines or benzodiazepines by the orthodox profession often achieves less lasting benefit to the patient than an additional burden of "impairment of intellectual function",[1] drowsiness, further toxicity for an already compromised metabolism, and often life-long drug dependence.

Botanical nervines, on the other hand, are free from toxicity and habituation. Because they are organic substances and not man-made synthetic molecules, they possess a natural affinity for the human organism. They are extremely efficient in balancing the nervous system. Restoring a sense of well-being and relaxation is necessary for optimum health and for the process of self-healing.

Herbal medicine can justifiably boast of Valeriana officinalis (Valerian), the ideal "tranquillizer". The rhizomes of this plant contain a volatile oil (which includes valerianic acid), volatile alkaloids (including chatinine), and iridoids (valepotriates) which have been shown to reduce anxiety and aggression and even to counteract the effects of ethanol [2]. So effective is Valeriana in cutting out the interference of anxiety while maintaining normal mental awareness, that it enables the patient to continue the most complicated mental exercise without drowsiness, loss of consciousness or depression. Valerian has been usefully taken even before an examination or a driving test!

Verbena officinalis (Vervain) on the other hand, is not only effective against depression, but also strongly supports the detoxifying function of the liver. Its French name is still "Herbe Sacre"; an old English name is "Holy Wort"; for Vervain was one of the seven sacred herbs of the Druids. (Significantly Druidic medicine worked very much upon the psychological background to the disease, attempting to revitalize the psyche before healing the body). Today we know that the antispasmodic qualities of Verbena are largely due to the glycoside verbenalin. Recent Chinese research has linked the plant with dilation of arteries in the brain: a likely explanation of its usefulness in treating migraine, especially when this problem is accompanied by liver congestion. It is certainly indicated for hysterical, exhausted, or depressive states.

Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory with an important local application to neuralgia and sciatica. Systemically, its sedative properties based on the glycoside hypericin, (a red pigment), make it applicable to neurosis and irritability. Many English herbalists use it extensively as a background remedy.

Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) being both carminative and antispasmodic, is active specifically on that part of the vagus nerve which may interfere with the harmonious functioning of the heart and the stomach. Recent experiments at the University of Heidelberg have confirmed that the action of the volatile oil begins within the limbic system of the brain and subsequently operates directly upon the vagus nerve and all of the organs that are innervated by it. Accordingly, neurasthenia (complete nervous prostration), migraine, and nervous gastropathy are amenable to its healing power.

The great herbal restoratives of the nervous system are Avena sativa (Oats), Scutellaria lateriflora (Scullcap) and Turnera diffusa (Damiana). Oats contains a nervine alkaloid which also helps to restore the heart... (again the vagus connection). According to Canadian research, Avena is helpful in angina and in cardiac insufficiency. Moreover in an article in Nature in 1971, Gonon outlined its usefulness in the treatment of addiction to morphine, narcotics, tobacco and alcohol... a use which is still current in British hospitals.

But the list does not stop here. Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) helps the circulation to the brain and is therefore useful in geriatric senility; Lavandula officinalis (Lavender) exerts a cardiotonic and anti-migraine action; Tilia europea (Linden or Lime Flowers) is an antispasmodic particularly suited to problems of venous congestion and arteriosclerotic states, but gentle enough for an anxious child.

There is great scope for the development of herbal medicine in the area of nervous diseases and of its application in so-called "mental illness" where pharmaceuticals seem at best to be applied for their "management" effect. And this is an area where the benefits of a whole food diet and holistic life-style are badly neglected.

Among the more outstanding serious problems that have been recorded at the Clinic of Herbal Medicine in Balham, London, England, (the teaching clinic of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists), are: the control of Parkinson's disease in a 59-year old man; the elimination of epileptic seizures in a 14-year old girl; the removal of clinical depression in a 46-year old woman; the eradication of frequent migraine attacks in many patients; and the regulation of the wide mood swings and other distressing symptoms that accompany both menopause and premenstrual stress in countless women patients. (These are just cases which I myself have witnessed over a period of 10 months).

Understandably, the choice of a nervine most suitable to an individual patient must be based upon a thorough health assessment and the experience and training of a qualified herbal practitioner. But even the layman can do much to alleviate stress and sooth frayed nerves. Drinking Chamomile, Lemon Balm or Linden tea (long the custom in Europe), is the prudent choice instead of coffee for anyone having sleeping difficulties or anyone who wishes to achieve a greater sense of inner calm. Twenty minutes out-of-breath exercise (walking, swimming, or cycling) will go a long way as a natural antidote to the pent-up tension that results from a stressful day at the office. And it will have the unexpected bonus of improving circulation, increasing metabolic rate and enhancing heart and lung function. The B-vitamins as found in whole-wheat bread, wheat germ, torula or brewer's yeast and liver (organically produced) provide ideal nourishment for the nervous system and can be wisely substituted for the stimulant foods such as white flour, sugar, junk foods and their myriad harmful chemical additives.

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CHEROKEE HERBOLOGY
(A beginning of understanding)
[Collected & Distributed by Joseph Teller of the Pagan Information Network, Homeboard being the Wonderland BBS 508-663-6220 Billerica MA. Open for public non-commercial Distribution]

Agrimony (Agrimonia Gyposepala) Drink tea of burs to check bowels, and for fevers; root tea to build up blood.

Alder, red/smooth/tag (Alnus Serrulata) For pains related to birth, ingredient in tea for menstrual period - acts as an emetic and a true purgative.

Alder, white (Clethra Acuminata) Decoction of bark and wild cherry is drunk to break a high fever.

Aloe, false Aloe (Agave Virginica) Chew root for obstinate problems with diarrhea. Also good for treating animals for worms.

Alum-root, American Sanicle (Heuchera Americana) Root is an astringent; root tea for bowel complaints or dysentery (usually made with honey to improve the taste).

Angelica (Angelica Atropurpurea) Root tonic for fevers and colds; Gargle for sore throats and mouth pains/cold sores.

Bastard Toadflax (Comandra Umbellataa) Steep with roots of pink lady's slipper for kidneys; put juice on open cuts or sores.

Beardtongue, hairy (Penstemon Laevigatus) Tea for cramps.

Birch, cherry/mountain/red/river/sweet (Betula Lenta) chew leaves or drink tea for dysentery; tea for colds.

Bittersweet (Celastrus Scandens) Bark tea to settle stomach; strong tea combined with red raspberry leaves for pains of childbirth. Blood leather/rock tripe (Gyrophora Dillenii) Stop bleeding from open wounds.

Bluebells\lungwort\virginia cowslip (Mertensia Virginica) for whooping cough; consumption.

Bluets (Houstonia Caerulea) Tea to stop bedwetting.

Branch lettuce/saxifrage (Saxifraga Pennsylvanica) Root poultice for Sore swollen muscles.

Buckeye, red (Aesculus Pavia) Pounded nuts are poultice for swelling, sprains and infected wounds, bark tea drank for facilitating woman's delivery in childbirth.

Buffalo nut/oilnut (Pyrularia Pubera) Salve for old sores.

Butterfly weed/Witch weed (Asclepias Tuberosa) Seeds or root are a gentle laxative; boil seeds in new milk for diarrhea; also for pleurisy, pains in breast, stomach and lungs.

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) Bark tea for flu.

Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) roots in water for gonorrhea.

Coneflower/Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia Fulgida) Root ooze for earache, wash for snakebites and swelling caused by worms.

Fern, bracken (Pteridium Aquilinum) Root tonic used as antiseptic.

Fern, rattlesnake (Botrychium Virginianum) boil root down to syrup and rub on snake bites.

Feverfew (Chrysanthemum Parthenium) Bathe swollen feet in a tea.

Geranium, wild (Geranium Maculatum) used for open wounds; astringent.

Goosegrass (Galium Aparine) Tea to move bowels.

Indian Pipe/Fit root/ice plant (Monotropa Uniflora) root pulverized and given for epilepsy and convulsions.

Laurel, Mountain (Kalmia Latifola) Ingredient in liniments.

New jersey tea/Red root (Ceanothus Americanus) hold root tea on an aching tooth; hot root tea for bowel complaints.

**** Short Bibliography ****

Cobb, B., Field guide to The Ferns, Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston, 1963

Fernald, M.L., Gray's Manual of Botany, NY

Hamel, Paul, Plants of The Cherokees, 1974

Plowden, C.C., Manual of Plant Names, NY, 1970

Sharp, J.E., The Cherokees Past and Present, Cherokee Press, 1970

[This is not meant to be a complete monograph on the subject of the Cherokee plant lore, just a sampling of the available information.]

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A Handbook of Botanical Incenses
Rowan Fairgrove

Introduction: ...Botanical and other incense are a tool which can be tailored to the user's desire. At their simplest they may be used to stimulate the sense of smell and bring enjoyment to those nearby, alternatively, they can be a subtle compilation designed to create a specific ambiance for a ritual or magical operation.

The following guide contains some botanical (and a few other substances) and their uses when burned. The attributes have been derived from a great many sources, both published and personal communication, and like most magical properties they are most effective when tailored to the individual or group using them. So sit down and burn some and see if they work for you. Try combinations. I have included some recipes which have worked for myself and others in the hopes that you will find them useful.

Happy Censing!

A Scheme of Things:

The botanicals which I will discuss fall into several broad categories:

1) EVOCATIVE - used to get the attention of divinities or to summon spirits

2) DIVINATORY - used to foretell the future or to see hidden secrets

3) PURIFICATORY - used to purify the purpose of a rite or the action of a given object

4) ENHANCING - used to intensify the purpose of a rite or the action of a given object

5) PROTECTIVE - used to shield the user or area from harm

6) BANISHING - used to drive out unwanted influences or spirits

7) HEALING - used to promote wholeness in mind, body or spirit

8) SPELL CASTING - used to promote a purpose, e.g., love, fertility, money, luck, fortune, concentration, etc.

Many botanicals fall into several categories, for example:

Wormwood (Artemesia) can be used:

1) to evoke Artemis and call the dead
2) to promote divination
6) when consecrated to Mars in banishing
6) & 7) it was used to banish the Black Plague fleas
8) when consecrated to Mars, in works of anger.

Some Examples:

1) Evocative: Almond, Lotus, Ash, Mandrake, Basil, Myrrh, Bay, Olive, Yarrow, Blessed Thistle, Patchouli, Damiana, Rowan, Dittany of Crete, Rue, Elm, Thyme, Frankincense, Verbena, Henbane, Vervain, Blue, Life Everlasting Flowers, Wormwood

2) Divinatory: Ash, Linseed, Bay, Mugwort, Cinquefoil, Rowan, Clove, Thyme, Elm, Wormwood, Frankincense, Yarrow

3) Purificatory: Angelica, Mastic gum, Bayberry, Myrrh, Burnet, Olive, Cinnamon

4) Healing: Balm of Gilead, Myrrh, Lavender, Rosemary, Life Everlasting, Wormwood

5) Enhancing: Anise seed, Lotus, Angelica, Mandrake, Celery seed, Mastic gum, Cinnamon, Mugwort, Cinquefoil, Orris root, Clove, Peppermint, Damiana, Sandalwood, Dragon's Blood, Styrax, Frankincense, Uva Ursi, Henbane

6) Protective: Alfalfa, Juniper wood, Basil, Life Everlasting flowers, Blessed Thistle, Mastic gum, Bay, Mistletoe, Camphor, Mugwort, Cinquefoil, Orris root, Elder, Rosemary, Five Finger Grass, Rowan, Frankincense, St. John's Wort, Garlic, Vervain, Blue

7) Banishing: Agrimony, Lavender, Ash, Pine, Camphor, Rowan, Dragon's Blood, Vervain, Blue, Juniper wood, Wormwood

8) Spell Casting: Basil, Patchouli, Bayberry, Peppermint, Benzoin gum, Rosemary, Camphor, Rowan, Cinnamon, Rue, Damiana, Sandalwood, Dragon's Blood, Tormantil, Frankincense, Uva Ursi, Lavender, Vervain, Blue, Lemon peel, St. John's Wort, Wormwood, Life Everlasting flowers, Mandrake, Yarrow, Mistletoe, Ylang Ylang, Orris Root

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Essential Oil Technical Data
Prepared by Gary Ross [CIS 73317,3317]

[Moss' Note: This table was a mess. If I sorted it out wrong, please let me know and I will fix it.]

Name	Bot. name.	Constituents	Solubility
Angelica	A. archangelica	phellandrene	6 vols 90% EtOH; valeric acid
Anise	P. anisum	80-90% anethole; methylchavicol	3 vols EtOH; ether; chloroform
Asarum	A. canadense	pinene; methyleugenol	2 vols 70% EtOH
Balm	M. officinalis	chiefly citral, eucalyptol; linalool	EtOH; ether; chloroform
Basil	O. basilicum	methylchavicol	2 vols 80% EtOH
Calamus	A. calamus	76% beta-asarone	EtOH
Caraway	C. carvi	53-63% carvone; d-limolene	1 vol 90% EtOH; 8 vols 80% EtOH
Cinnamon	C. cassia	glac. cinnamaldehyde	acetic acid
Citronella	C. nardus	25-50% citronellal 25-45% geraniol	10 vols 80% EtOH
Clove	E. caryophyllata	82-87% eugenol	EtOH; ether; glac. acetic acid
Dill	A. graveolens	50% carvone; apiole	1 vol 90% EtOH
Eucalyptus	E. globulus	70-80% eucalyptol; oils alpha-pinene	abs EtOH; 5 vols 70% EtOH
Fennel	F. vulgare	50-60% anethole; 20% fenchone	1 vol 90% EtOH; ether; chloroform
Geranium	P. odoratissimum	geraniol esters (geranyl tiglate)	3 vols 10% EtOH; ether; chloroform
Ginger	Z. officinale	l-zingiberene; carbon d-camphene disulfide	ether
Hops	H. lupulus	65-70% humulene	ether
Hyssop	H. officinalis	50% pinene	2-4 vols 80% EtOH
Juniper	J. communis	pinene; cadinene; amyl camphene; terpineol	4 vols EtOH; alcohol; chloroform
Lavender	L. officinalis	30-40% esters (linalyl acetate)	4 vols 70% EtOH; absolute EtOH
Lemon	C. limonum	90% limonene	3 vols EtOH; glac. acetic acid
Lemon grass	C. citratus	75-85% citral	3 vols 70% EtOH; ether; chloroform
Marjoram	O. marjorana	40% terpenes	2 vols 80% EtOH; ether; chloroform
Nutmeg	M. fragrans	60-80% d-camphene; myristicin; elemicin	1 vol EtOH; 3 vols 90% EtOH
Parsley	P. hortense	chiefly apiole	8 vols 80% EtOH; ether
Patchouli	Labiatae species	patchouli oil	ether
Pennyroyal	M. pulegium	85% pulegone; H. pulegioides	3 vols 70% EtOH; ether; chloroform
Peppermint	M. piperita	50% menthol	4 vols 90% EtOH
Rosemary	R. officinalis	10% borneol	10 vols 80% EtOH
Rue	R. graveolens	90% methyl nonyl ketone	3 vols 70% EtOH
Sandalwood	S. album	90% alcohols (santalol)	5 vols 70% EtOH
Sassafras	S. albidum	80% safrole	2 vols 90% EtOH
Spearmint	M. spicata	50% carvone	equal vol 80% EtOH
Sweet Bay	L. nobilis	eucalyptol; eugenol	EtOH
Tansy	T. vulgare	thujone; borneol; camphor	EtOH; ether; chloroform
Thyme	T. vulgaris	20-40% thymol	2 vols 80% EtOH
Valerian	V. officinalis	bornyl esters	EtOH; ether; (acetic, formic, chloroform isovaleric)
Vetiver	V. zizanioides	8-35% sesquiterpene oils	1-3 vols 80% EtOH; ketones
White Cedar	T. occidentalis	d-thujone; l-fenchone	4 vols 70% EtOH
Wormwood	A. absinthium	Thujyl alcohol; thujyl acetate; ether thujone	2 vols 80% EtOH;
Yarrow	A. millefolium	cineol	EtOH; ether

Abbreviations:

EtOH - ethyl alcohol
HOAc - acetic acid

Properties of constituents:

Compound - Property

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Anethole - carminative
Apiole - carminative
Borneol - perfumery, incense
Bornyl esters -sedatives, antiseptics, counterirritants
Camphor - anti-infective, counterirritant, antipruritic
Carvone - flavoring, perfumery, carminative
Cinnamaldehyde - flavoring, perfumery
Citral - flavoring, perfumery
Citronellal - insect repellant
Eucalyptol - flavoring
Eugenol - dental analgesic, insect attractant
Fenchone - counterirritant, perfumes
Geraniol - perfumery, insect attractant
Humulene - urinary antiseptic (?)
Limonene - skin irritant, sensitizer
Linalool - perfumery
Menthol - antipruritic, flavoring, carminative, anesthetic
Myristicin - mild hallucinogen
Phellandrene - fragrances
Pinene - manufacture of organic compounds
Safrole - topical antiseptic, pediculicide, carminitive
Santalol - perfumes, soaps, detergents
Thujone [ingestion can cause convulsions]
Thymol - antifungal, antithelmintic, antiseptic
Valeric acid - intermediate in perfumery

This information may be of use to some more advanced herbalists. The solubility information will be of use to anyone who prepares essential oils. This is for informational purposes only. I do not endorse the use of any of these agents, especially by the untrained. Many of these agents are very toxic.

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Spring Herbwalks!
Karin Morcinek

For those who love to go for walks in the forests and meadows to see the wild flowers in bloom, here is a calendar with reference to approximate blooming dates. This list does not include all the wild flowers, but a selection of plants that are used as herbs (medicinal/edible). Of interest, I have included some poisonous plants as well to keep you on your toes! Blooming dates can vary in different localities, this reference is for Toronto and vicinity.

APRIL - Flowers to look for include:

Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis; Coltsfoot - Tussilago farfara; Prickly Ash - Zanthoxylum americanum

EARLY MAY

Skunk Cabbage - Symplocarpus foetidus; Wild Ginger - Asarum canadense; Violets - Violas sp.; Dandelion - Taraxacum officinalis; Blue Cohosh - Caulophyllum thalictroides

MID MAY

Shepherds Purse - Capsella bursa-pastoris; Trilliums - Trillium sp.; Marsh Marigolds - Caltha palustris; Ground Ivy - Glechoma hederacea

LATE MAY

Common Chickweed - Stellaria medica; Mandrake - Podophyllum peltatum; White Baneberry - Actaea alba; Red Baneberry - Actaea rubra; Solomon Seal - Polygonatum pubescens; Hawthorn - Crateagus sp.; Chokecherry - Prunus virginiana; False Elder - Sambucus pubens

I urge you, to make sure that you have identified the plant correctly. Knowledge of basic botany is essential, along with a field guide book that will aid you in proper identification. This requires practise and patience and attending herbwalks conducted by an experienced herbalist, will advance you further in this study.

It is also very important never to over pick the herbs, beginners tending to do this, being over-enthusiastic. You can quickly eradicate a species over a short period of time and then wonder later, why you cannot find that plant. I encourage you to cultivate the wild flowers as many of them are easy to propagate. You will be doing us all the good service of increasing supply, as well as introducing new and rare species to your area.

One of the harbingers of Spring is the flowering of Bloodroot and Coltsfoot. The white, delicate flowers of Bloodroot bloom very quickly, so do not be disappointed when you see the petals already fallen on the ground. It is not very common in many areas. Although it looks delicate, the root is potent and not often used by herbalists today. A bright red juice will stain your hands when the root is cut.

Coltsfoot's yellow flowers bloom earlier than the Dandelion. Both look similar but upon closer inspection the reddish scaly stem will differentiate between the two. Also the flowers bloom before the leaves appear. Coltsfoot prefers disturbed, open spaces such as gravel pits, creek banks and road sides. This is a very useful herb, the flowers can be made into wine or syrup, and the leaves make a pleasant tasting tea. Excellent for expelling mucus from the lungs in cases of asthma, colds and other pulmonary conditions.

Another early bloomer is the Prickly Ash with its inconspicuous greenish-yellowish flowers. This shrub or small tree bears thorns, and is a more effective barrier than a barbed-wire fence. Do not confuse this shrub with a Locust tree. The bark is used mainly as a stimulant for poor circulation. It is one of the few herbs that creates a tingling-like sensation in the mouth (some others are the Echinaceas and Aconite).

By May 1st two most unusual flowers have appeared; the Skunk Cabbage with its purplish inflorescence and the Wild Ginger with its reddish brown cup shaped flower. The Skunk Cabbage smells skunky when bruised. It is a very distinctive plant of the marshlands with huge cabbage-like leaves that grow up to 2 feet long. The roots have been used as an expectorant and combined with other herbs for spasmodic conditions. It is an acquired taste and belongs in the family Arum (Araceae) which also includes the Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Arum comes from the Arabian word ar, meaning fire. The fresh roots contain calcium oxalate crystals which when eaten, cause an intense burning sensation in the mouth. So here is one example of a herb (Skunk cabbage) that should be thoroughly dried before using.

Wild Ginger is a jewel of the woods, newcomers are delighted when they smell and taste the ginger roots. Makes a good syrup being diaphoretic, very warming but emetic in large quantities. This is one wild flower that will grow well in the garden. The romantic Violets are familiar to everyone. Few people are aware that the leaves of the blue flowered varieties can be made into an ointment. Superb for cleansing old wounds, they have strong drawing-out properties. Do not pick all the leaves from a Violet plant for it is slow growing. The Birdfoot Violet (Viola pedata) is rare, so please, try not to pick this variety.

At this time the first Dandelions are blooming. Before they bloom, harvest the leaves and eat them. Together with Violet leaves, this will be your first wild green salad - along with a handful of chives from the garden. An excellent spring tonic and highly nutritious. Your Dandelion roots should have been harvested by now and made into a tincture or dried. Spring roots are bitter tasting and good for the liver whereas the Fall roots are sweet tasting and good for blood sugar conditions.

Blue Cohosh is sometimes tricky to find. It blends in well with the Wild Sarsaparilla and Red and White Baneberries. All these plants produce berries and they all bloom in Spring, growing in shady woodlands. With practise you will be able to see the bluish hue of the Cohosh, the tiny flowers greenish-yellow, the berries dark blue. The roots are used for female disorders, the Native peoples appropriately naming this plant Squaw Root or Papoose Root. Caution is required with this herb. It effects the blood pressure and is toxic in larger doses.

By now I'm wondering if I can complete the list of herbs, there are so many to mention! It is the middle of May, and the Shepherds Purse is growing strong and will bloom from now till fall time. This herb has a distinctive sulphur-like scent. Very popular among midwives for its astringency, it is a herb that is best used fresh.

Birth Root or the Trillium is a delightful spring flower symbolizing gladness and the fresh hope of Spring. North American natives used the root to strengthen the uterus and aid childbirth. It is illegal to pick this plant, it being the provincial emblem of Ontario. Try growing the Trillium in your garden.

I've included the Marsh Marigolds because when the vibrant yellow flowers are blooming, this is a sure sign that the fiddleheads from the Ostrich fern (Pteretis pensylvanica) are soon ready to be picked. Please do not over pick and do not confuse it with the Bracken fern which is not as palatable.

I'm positive you will be mowing your lawn now. For those who have a wild cultured lawn with everything growing in it, I'm sure you will be cutting the Ground Ivy as well. Low growing, this mint variety with purple flowers has a distinctive musky-like scent. The Common Chickweed is another lawn loving plant with tiny white flowers. Both of these herbs are astringent, the Chickweed also having demulcent properties.

Of course there are the poisonous plants! How about the Red and White Baneberry. Their berries are very bright and showy, but certainly not edible. I might as well include the False Elder shrub, whose flowers are also white. The birds will eat the red berries but don't you try them. It is important to distinguish between the False and the medicinal Common Elder shrub (Sambucus canadensis). Basically, the Common Elder have flat-topped flower clusters and purplish-black berries while the red berried False Elder has elongate flower clusters and blooms way before the Common Elder.

A graceful lily, the Solomon's Seal grows in shady woodlands, and with its greenish white bell-like flowers it is quite attractive. The rhizomes have been used at one time in cosmetics for toning the complexion and also eaten as a starchy food. I find it too pretty to pick, but if you grow this plant in your garden you will have ample supply. Often found growing close by is the False Solomon's Seal (Smilacina racemosa), its roots are demulcent and expectorant. Both of these plants are rarely used these days.

By the last week in May most of the fruit trees are blooming. To refresh your memory it was 25 degrees C on May 30 of last year. The Hawthorn shrub is blooming now, a very useful herb. Too bad the red berries are often wormy, you can never pick enough. It is a popular European remedy, (a heart tonic) and is rich in vitamin C. Chokecherry bark is another heart remedy but different in its effect. It is not a remedy to take for a long period of time. The bark is also used in cough remedies for its anti-spasmodic effect.

So I hope I have given you an idea of what you can find in bloom at Springtime. Remember, it is your responsibility to identify these herbs correctly taking care with their preparation and using the proper dosage. It is important that we learn to recognize the flowers and plants that are found in nature, in order to become more self-reliant and in tune with our environment. Plants are a part of the life force and only when we become aware of their presence in their natural habitat will we be able to share in and absorb, their true power and vitality.

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Herbs & Nutrition In Pregnancy
Susun Weed

Wise women see that most of the problems of pregnancy can be prevented by attention to nutrition. Morning sickness and mood swings are connected to low blood sugar; backaches and severe labor pains often result from insufficient calcium; varicose veins, hemorrhoids, constipation, skin discolorations and anaemia are evidence of lack of specific nutrients; preeclampsia, the most severe problem of pregnancy, is a form of acute malnutrition. Excellent nutrition includes pure water, controlled breath, abundant light, loving and respectful relationships, beauty and harmony in daily life, positive, joyous thoughts and vital foodstuffs.

During pregnancy nutrients are required to create the cells needed to form two extra pounds of uterine muscle, the nerves, bones, organs, muscles, glands and skin of the fetus, several pounds of amniotic fluid, a placenta and a 50 percent increase in blood volume. In addition, extra kidney and liver cells are needed to process the waste of two beings instead of one.

Wild foods and organically grown produce, grains and herbs are the best source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed during pregnancy. All the better if the expectant mother can get out and gather her own, stretching, bending, breathing, moving, touching the earth, taking time to talk with plants and herself, and opening the spiritual world of plants.

TONICS DURING PREGNANCY

Wise women have recommended herbal tonics for childbearing for thousands of years. These herbs are empirically safe and notably effective. Tonic herbs improve general health by balancing and sustaining energy flow and focus in the body.

Tonics allay annoyances and prevent major problems. They can boost the supply of vital minerals and vitamins, increase energy and improve uterine tone. Some uterine tonics are contraindicated during pregnancy or are restricted to the last few weeks of pregnancy.

The tonics indicated for pregnancy need to be used regularly; a tonic is to the cells much as exercise is to the muscles: not much use when done erratically. Of course even occasional use of tonics during pregnancy will be of benefit, since they do contain nourishing factors. Better benefit will come from using them 5 times a week or more.

Some simple suggestions to get into the habit of using tonics: have the client replace her morning cup of coffee with a rich Nettle infusion. Or have her brew up some raspberry leaf tea and put it in the refrigerator to drink instead of soda, wine, or beer. Wild greens can be added to the diet. The following herbs have been used by women in many cultures for centuries to have a healthier pregnancy.

RED RASPBERRY LEAVES (Rubus spp.)

Brewed as a tea or as an infusion, raspberry is the best known, most widely used, and safest of all uterine and pregnancy tonic herbs. It contains fragrine, an alkaloid which gives tone to the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus itself.

Most of the benefits ascribed to regular use of Raspberry tea through pregnancy can be traced to the strengthening power of fragrine or to the nourishing power of the vitamins and minerals found in this plant. Of special note are the rich concentration of vitamin C, the presence of vitamin E and the easily assimilated calcium and iron. Raspberry leaves also contain vitamins A and B complex and many minerals, including phosphorous and potassium.

The benefits of drinking a raspberry leaf brew before and throughout pregnancy include:

*Increasing fertility in both men and women. Raspberry leaf is an excellent fertility herb when combined with Red Clover.

*Preventing miscarriage and hemorrhage. Raspberry leaf tones the uterus and helps prevent miscarriage and post-partum hemorrhage from a relaxed or atonic uterus.

*Easing of morning sickness. Many attest to raspberry leaf's gentle relief of nausea and stomach distress throughout pregnancy.

*Reducing pain during labor and after birth. By toning the muscles used during labor and delivery, Raspberry leaf eliminates many of the reasons for a painful delivery and prolonged recovery. It does not, however, counter the pain of pelvic dilation.

*Providing a safe and speedy parturition. Raspberry leaf works to encourage the uterus to let go and function without tension. It does not strengthen contractions, but does allow the contracting uterus to work more effectively and so may make the birth easier and faster.

*Assisting in the production of plentiful breast milk. The high mineral content of Raspberry leaf assist in milk production, but its astringency may counter that for some women.

NETTLE LEAVES (Urtica Dioca)

Less well known as a pregnancy tonic but deserving a wider reputation and use, Urtica is one of the finest nourishing tonics known. It is reputed to have more chlorophyll than any other herb. The list of vitamins and minerals in this herb includes nearly every one known to be necessary for human health and growth.

Vitamins A, C, D and K, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, iron and sulphur are particularly abundant in nettles. The infusion is a dark green color approaching black. The taste is deep and rich. If you are blessed with a nettle patch near you, use the fresh plant as pot herb in the spring.

Some pregnant women alternate weeks of nettle and raspberry brews; others drink raspberry until the last month and then switch to nettles to insure large amounts of vitamin K in the blood before birth.

The benefits of drinking nettle infusion before and throughout pregnancy include:

• Aiding the kidneys. Nettle infusion were instrumental in rebuilding the kidneys of a woman who was told she would have to be put on a dialysis machine. Since the kidneys must cleanse 150 percent of the normal blood supply for most of the pregnancy, nettle's ability to nourish and strengthen them is of major importance. Any accumulation of minerals in the kidneys, such as gravel or stones is gently loosened, dissolved and eliminated by the consistent use of nettle infusions.

• Increasing fertility in women and men.

• Nourishing mother and fetus.

• Easing leg cramps and other spasms.

• Diminishing pain during and after birth. The high calcium content, which is readily assimilated, helps diminish muscle pains in the uterus, in the legs and elsewhere.

• Preventing hemorrhage after birth. Nettle is a superb source or vitamin K, and increases available haemoglobin, both of which decrease the likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage. Fresh Nettle Juice, in teaspoon doses, slows postpartum bleeding.

• Reducing hemorrhoids. Nettle's mild astringency and general nourishing action tightens and strengthens blood vessels, helps maintain arterial elasticity and improves venous resilience.

• Increasing the richness and amount of breast milk. CALCIUM

Of course calcium is a mineral, not an herbal tonic, but it is so important during pregnancy and throughout our woman lives that I consider it a tonic. Lack of adequate calcium during pregnancy is associated with muscle cramps, backache, high blood pressure, intense labor and afterbirth pains, osteoporosis, tooth problems and preeclampsia.

Calcium assimilation is governed by exercise, stress, acidity during digestion, availability of vitamin C, A and especially D, and availability of magnesium and phosphorous in the body and the diet. Getting 1000 to 2000 mg of calcium every day is not hard with the help of Wise Woman herbs.

The best food sources of calcium are fish and dairy products, but there is controversy about the body's ability to assimilate calcium from pasteurized, homogenized milk. My preferred food sources include goat milk and goat cheese, salmon, sardines, mackerel, seaweed (especially kelp), sesame salt (gomasio), tahini and dark leafy greens such as turnip tops, beet greens and kale.

There are roughly 200 grams of calcium in two ounces of nuts (excluding peanuts), one ounce of dried seaweed, two ounces of carob powder, one ounce of cheese, half a cup of cooked greens, (kale, collards and especially dandelion) half a cup of milk, three eggs, four ounces of fish, or one tablespoon of molasses.

Most wild greens are exceptionally rich in calcium and the factors need for calcium absorption and use. Lamb's Quarters, Mallow, Galinsoga, Shepherd's purse, Knotweed, Bidens, Amaranth and Dandelion leaves all supply more calcium per 100 grams than does milk.

Bones soaked in apple cider vinegar release their calcium into the acidic vinegar. A tablespoon of this vinegar in a glass of warm water supplies needed calcium and is good for morning sickness too.

Many fruits are rich in calcium (though not as rich as the above foods). Dried dates, figs, raisins, prunes, papaya and elder berries are the best source.

Raspberry leaf infusion contains calcium in its most assimilable form. Assimilation is further enhanced by the presence of phosphorous and vitamins A and C in the raspberry leaves.

Fresh Parsley and Watercress are available in most grocery stores year-round. They are both good sources of many minerals and vitamins, including calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A and vitamin C.

Nettle infusions supply calcium and phosphorous, vitamin A and the vital vitamin D, in a readily assimilable form.

Foods which are thought to interfere with absorption of calcium should be avoided: spinach, chocolate, rhubarb and brewer's yeast.

Do not use bone meal or oyster shell tablets as sources of supplemental calcium. They have been found to be high in lead, mercury, cadmium and other toxic metals.

TONICS TO USE WITH CAUTION

Squaw vine (Mitchella repens), Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalicotroides), and Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) all should be avoided until the last 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. Even then, they should be used only when indicated, and under the supervision of someone experienced in their use. Some midwives report that the Cohoshes must be used together (not interchangeably). Others have reported premature labor when Blue Cohosh was taken in combination with Pennyroyal. False Unicorn Root (Helonias dioca), Dong Quai (Angelica spp.) and PN6 capsules are considered too strong for use during pregnancy.

FURTHER READING

How to be a Healthy Mother and have a Healthy Child. Society for the Protection of the Unborn through Nutrition (SPUN) 17 North Wabash, Suite 603, Chicago, IL. 60602

The Brewer Medical Diet for Normal and High Risk Pregnancy. Gail and Tom Brewer; 1982, Simon and Shuster

Natural Remedies for Pregnancy Discomforts. Free; send stamped, self-addressed, legal size envelope to: Department of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 310, Sacramento, CA 95802

About the author:

Susun Weed, herbalist, author, teacher and founder of the "Wise Woman Center" offers workshops and apprenticeships world wide. Free brochure: PO Box 64, Woodstock N.Y. 12498. Her books are Healing Wise and Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, Ash Tree Pub.

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Herbs for Animals
Helen Massingham-Howells

On reflection perhaps I should have called this piece Herbs for Horses! Nearly all of these remedies were used by the European Gypsies and they have proven their effectiveness through many generations. I am sure that you too, will them helpful.

Most horses will take herbs when mixed with molasses or honey. Many times a brew with strong tasting herbs can be disguised with black currant syrup or honey, particularly if cider vinegar has been added. Hops (Humulus lupulus) "Hop tops" young shoots given to colts to condition them. A good tonic. Flowers fed in fodder to quiet restless animals, 1 or 2 cups for young animals, 2 or 3 cups (1 cup equals 1 handful) for adults.

Ivy, Common (Glechoma Hederacea) Very good for internal cleansing after birth, 1 to 2 cups chopped herb for mares immediately after giving birth. In treating retained afterbirth make a strong brew; in 1 pint of water add 1 to 2 cups of common Ivy half pint drenches approximately every 3 hours. Do not confuse with Poison Ivy please!

Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) Horses like this herb so do sheep and goats. A good tonic. Parsley piert or Alchemilla arvensis is a gypsy cure for stones and a tonic after treating colic. It has been said that should man or animals take this herb on Midsummers Eve they could become invisible!! I have not tried that one, maybe one would have to take Woad (Ivatis tinctoria) to bring one back in sight. Of course the bluish hue might startle a few animals and people!

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) Used by gypsies as a spring tonic for horses, 1 to 2 cups of flowers cut up and mixed with mash or corn brew in 1.5 pints of water.

Nettle, Common (Urtica dioica) Good forage dried for horses, rich in minerals, lime, sodium, iron, chlorine and a naturally good in protein value. Nettle juice mixed with nettle seeds is a good hair tonic: use internally 1 cup of juice in the animals mash. Use externally to wash the coat, it will give it a beautiful shine, beneficial for show or racehorses.

Oak (Quercus robur) Gypsies used the ripe acorns ground and dried them and mixed them with wheat flour to make a gruel. The green cups are very astringent and made into a strong brew are used to check bleeding internally and externally, 1 to 2 oz to 1.5 pints water.

Poplar, Black (Populus nigra) Buds crushed in milk, honey and wine a good tonic for horses. For sores, wounds, ulcers. Used externally too (by making an ointment with the young buds).

Puffball (Fungus) Used to stem bleeding and promote healing. Crushed and then applied to wounds.

Quince (Pyrus Cydonia) Hair tonic for manes and tails. The peel is made into a brew 1 cup to 1 pint.

Sanicle (Sanicula europaea) Used as a talisman on banners and shields to protect war- horses and hopefully their riders. Good fodder. Effective for internal bleeding and wounds. Whole plant used make a brew or give 1 to 2 cupfuls of the herb in feed.

Scabious (Scabiosa arvensis) (Gypsy Rose) Cleansing and antiseptic. A brew of the root and herb thickened with borax, removes old sores and dandruff. Mix about 2 cups herb and root to one and a half pints water. Put in 1 tablespoons of borax powder while still hot and stir well. Apply when cooled.

Strawberry or Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) Leaves help prevent abortion, fruit good for nervous or slow horses. Foliage good for show and racehorses. 2 cups of leaves or leaves and root daily or handful of berries daily.

Sweet Cicely (Myrrhus odorata) Horses love this herb. A good tonic. Crush some or bruise the root and hold in the hand, they will usually come to one. Native Indians used this trick to catch the wild horses. Note: make sure you catch the right horse!

Tea Plant (Indian tea, China tea) (Thea sinensis) Make a strong infusion, 2 parts to 1 of vinegar, (cider if possible). Soak cotton cloth when cold and apply. Very good for sun stroke, sunburn, fine burns. Dose internally: 1 dessert-spoon cider vinegar to 3 tablespoons tea mixture. Make the tea mixture with 2 tablespoons in 10 oz. hot water, add a pinch of cinnamon or 1 to 2 cloves or both. Give cold if possible.

Willow, White (Salix alba) Young shoots and foliage given by gypsies for cattle and horses as a tonic.

Willow (Salix caprea) Given to goats to calm their hot tempers and cool their blood. I am not sure whether that means they gave it to the old goats or not. What is good for the animals is good for man too!

That's all I have space for just now. It's easy to forget that the "beasts of the field" originally taught us much of our herb law, (by our observations of them). They deserve more consideration than we often care to give them nowadays. By using these simple remedies we can do much to make their lives more comfortable and productive.

About the author:

Helen Massingham was born in England and has lived in Canada since 1967. She has spent most of her life working with animals, both on her father's estate and in the Far East. Long a proponent of Herbal Medicines for animals, she is Regional Vice-President of the Canadian Equine Society.

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An Herb Garden for Bees
Heather Apple

Did you know that bees are instinctive and highly skilled herbalists? Juliette de Bairacli Levy, the Master Herbalist, has found that bees are wonderful doctors in their own right and know how to dose themselves with herbs to maintain health within the hive.

When I read this, I did not keep bees myself, but was very aware of the many bees that visited my garden. There was a wonderful variety ranging from tiny wild bees, to domestic honey bees, to great fat bumblebees.

I realized that bees were facing incredible challenges with pollution, acid rain and especially the pesticides sprayed on crops and roadside weeds. I decided that I would combine my love of herbs with my love for bees and plant a special medicinal garden to help the bees cope with our present environment.

I did some research to discover which herbs were especially beneficial to bees. These include aromatic herbs such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, bee balm (bergamot), hyssop, anise-hyssop, basil and marjoram; wild herbs such as motherwort, catnip and purple loosestrife; bitter herbs such as southernwood, wormwood and rue; nectar rich herbs such as clover and alfalfa; all the mints; the borage family; and the rose family. I had already known that bees loved borage and I had planted it among my squashes, cucumbers and melons in order to attract bees for pollination. Now, I planted patches all over the garden, making good use of the plants that had self-seeded from the previous year.

I also carefully noted the blooming periods of all the herbs, flowers, weeds, and flowering shrubs and trees on our property. Over the next couple of years I planted additional varieties to assure that there was an uninterrupted and rich banquet of blossoms from the first crocuses in spring, all through the summer, to the crisp days of autumn when bees are immobilized by the cold and no longer able to work.

I also increased the size of my herb garden. Generally, I harvest my herbs just before they come into flower, or else I harvest the flowers themselves as soon as they open. I planted extras of each variety so that I could allow a number of plants to go to full flower and so supply the bees.

The rewards of this bit of extra effort have been enormous. The population of bees has continued to increase over the years. It is a pleasure to go out to the garden and hear my comfrey patch buzzing as the blossoms are visited by hoards of honey bees and bumblebees.

My Rosa rugosa patch is a special treat for the senses - the sight of masses of pink blossoms, the scent of the warm, sunny air, heavy with sweet rose fragrance and the sound of droves of buzzing bees. Often I have watched bees actually rolling around among the stamens of the rose blossoms. This may serve the utilitarian purpose of gathering extra large amounts of pollen. But to me, it almost seems something more. Imagine being a bee and spending your day climbing inside giant, fragrant flower blossoms to gather golden pollen and sweet nectar. What an ecstatic life!

Juliette de Bairacli Levy praises the healing properties of honey. She says that the test for pure, good and powerful honey is that it should burn the throat of the consumer.

Her own herbal honey was so strong that some people accused her of adding hot pepper. However, she took honey comb straight from the hive to show them that this was its natural flavor.

Flowers are the most vital part of the plant - a glorious expression of its moment of perfection. This is something understood by those who make and use Flower Essences. Imagine a rich honey, gathered on sunny summer days from the blossoms of healing herbs - a rich nectar transformed by golden bees in the heart of their hive. What healing qualities, what a taste and fragrance of summer herbs it can bring to dark winter days!

One can believe that the curative properties of such honey would be great. This could be something that practicing herbalists and interested individuals might be interested in experimenting with. If you don't have your own hive, you could invite a beekeeper to keep a hive on your land in return for a share of the honey.

But even if you can't have a hive, you can still have the pleasure that comes from watching the bees at work in your garden, and the satisfaction of knowing that you are providing them with healthful herbs that will help them survive in a difficult world.

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Herbal Wines
Nicholas Morcinek

One of the many pleasures of a life in the country is the abundance of free food and the makings of fine drink. Sitting here at my desk, glass of Dandelion wine in hand, the golden glow of the flickering firelight passing through the pale amber nectar drifts my mind back to the Spring and the picking and preparation that led to this magic moment. Anyone who has ever made their own wine or beer will understand my feelings but nowadays of course, wine nearly always refers to a Chateau produced store bought liquid, made from grapes grown in some exotic far away land. However until very recently, many other varieties of fruit and even flowers were used by enterprising brewers. Dandelion, Red Clover, Rosemary and Rose flowers were all used and all have their own distinctive nose, flavor and effect Herbs were used for their traditional medicinal values, the wine-making process being me rely the method of preservation.

Dandelion for the digestion and liver Cowslip to help with sleep Clover flowers as a tonic and mild euphoriant

These herb wines are very simply made, with minimal amounts of time and equipment and once tried and successfully imbibed, they can become an integral part of your routine and life style. After all, what better way is there to take your medicine than in a glass of fragrant ambrosia? Hoping that I've caught your interest, (excuse me while I pour myself another glass!), perhaps you'd like to give flower wines a try.

Here to help you on your way is my own tried, and very well tested, recipe.

Ingredients:

Two quarts of Red Clover or Dandelion flower-heads (or any other type of edible/medicinal flower - Good ones to try are Calendula, Rose, Violet, Elder flowers, etc; use your own judgement, the recipe is good for almost any combination of flowers and herbs).

One Kilo of sugar & 3 lemons. Four ounces un-coated raisins or sultanas. One packet Champagne type wine yeast.

You will also need some equipment, most of which can be found in the kitchen, viz: One, two or three gallon container, (stainless steel,earthenware, glass or un-chipped enamel).

A one gallon glass flagon, Fermentation lock, campden table and syphon tube.

(These can be obtained quite inexpensively from any home-brewing store).

Now for the...Method:

Pick the flowers on a sunny morning after the dew has dried. They are best picked after several days of full sun but Mother Nature is not always so obliging. Choose only the best flowers and discard all green parts at the base of the flowers. (They will make the wine bitter). Collect two full quarts of flowers for each gallon you wish to make. (This is a good job to give to the kids on a sunny Sunday afternoon. You won't see them for at least an hour.) It is very important that you collect only from areas that have not been sprayed with garden or agricultural pest sprays. Avoid all roadside flowers as they contain high levels of pollutants.

It is important before starting in the kitchen to ensure that all the implements and containers used are scrupulously clean. Make up a sterilizing solution using the campden tablets, (follow the instructions on the pack) and then thoroughly rinse and clean everything you intend to use. This is the most important operation in home wine making, get it right and your wines turnout perfectly every time, screw-up and your friends will find all sorts of reasons for why they can't pop over to watch the game, join the barbecue, etc. etc. Anyway, we are digressing. Back to the wine.

Clean the flowers of insects and dirt and place them into the largest container. Add the juice from the three lemons and the washed raisins or sultanas, and immediately pour over them six pints of boiling water. Stir it all up with a sterilized spoon, cover the container with a sterilized lid and leave to stand for twenty four hours.

Next day, lift up the lid and take a peek at the dead flowers and other bits, floating in the water. Hmmm...Give it all a good stir and then strain out the liquid into a clean sterilized container. Rinse out your original container with some sulphite solution and then immediately pour the strained liquid back in. Add the sugar and two pints of boiling water, stirring well so as to dissolve the sugar, and then add the yeast, which has been prepared beforehand as instructed on the package. Stir it again, cover and put it away in a warm spot where the temperature stays around 70-80 degrees. Now forget all about it for one month.

The month has passed and you rush like the wind to take a look at your wine. Urgghh!! It smells weird and looks weirder, but don't worry, every thing should work out fine. This is where the syphon, flagon and fermentation lock come into the picture. First sterilize all your equipment with a sulphite solution and rinse thoroughly. Then syphon the contents of your brewing bin into the flagon. This will give you your first taste, but don't despair it gets much better! Set up the fermentation lock as per the manufacturer's instructions, pop it on top of the flagon and now take it back to that warm out of the way place where you hid it before.

Now comes the hardest part of the whole show. You have to forget all about this big bottle of fermenting nectar for at least six months. Don't be tempted to peek inside, smell or (God forbid!) taste your new concoction. Don't even think about it! That day is still in the far future.

Six months have passed. November arrives and the nights are getting longer. Remember the wine?? It's now ready to be bottled. You'll need about six or seven bottles for each gallon. Use only those bottles that are designed to hold pressure, i.e., Champagne or sparkling wine bottles, even those thick heavy old-fashioned cola bottles. Use a sulphite solution to sterilize the bottles, corks and caps, and using a sterilized syphon tube, carefully syphon the clear liquid from the flagon into the bottles without disturbing the sediment in the flagon. Tastes pretty good now eh! To make your wine just a little sparkling add no more than a half teaspoon of sugar to each bottle. Seal the bottles well and let them stand in a warm place for three days. Then place them in the coolest part of the house and wait six more weeks. It will then be just about ready to drink. Of course like many wines it will taste better if left longer, (about a year is best).

But of course we're all only human and so must inevitably try out the fruits of our labor. Invite around your true friends, break out the best glasses and then carefully open your first delicately cooled bottle, without disturbing the sediment on the bottom. Pour carefully into each glass, filling them all in one delicate movement, again so as not to disturb the sediment. Sit back, raise your glass in a toast and sip this delightful ambrosia. Revel in the complements and congratulations of your friends, for they are truly deserved. And think of the coming Spring and the fifteen gallons that you plan to brew.

Good luck!!!

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Herbs and Teas
Ellianna

* Forwarded from 'nheal' area using Msg V4.1 * Forwarded by Illy O. on 1:109/120.1201

I know that this is a little late, but better late than never and you always have next month.

There are several different herbs that will help with cramps and pms.... Some of the most common are:

Mugwort, comfrey, valerian, chamomile, and several others.

Let me look up in some of my books and I will post them again. If you prefer to use some already prepared teas, most herb stores have a female toner tea or something like that, just make sure that it has feverfew either in it or taken with it. Feverfew taken every day can help abort any headaches that may come along at that time. I get headaches all the time, but haven't since I started taking feverfew everyday.

I will write more later if you are interested.

Bright Blessings

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Sprouts for Water Bloat
Joan Rodenbaugh

This will probably be of more interest to the ladies on this topic, but one of the great benefits from eating large quantities of sprouts is their natural diuretic effect. These little critters are also loaded with vitamin A, C, and Thiamine. They tend to draw water from fat cells, and are great for dieting. My favorite kind are the spicy horseradish variety, they add a little zest to the plain old brown rice cakes, and melted farmers cheese, that is the mainstay of my daily diet.

Brown rice is terrific for cleaning poisons out of the blood stream, and helps arthritis and sore muscles :-)

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Incenses

Replacements in Incenses
Morpheus

Finally, I have time to search my references! :) You were asking about a replacement for storax and benzoin...

Storax: Hermes/Mercury attributions - mastic, white sandalwood, mace, vervain, marjolane, rose; Venus - mallow; Ceres/Demeter - oak, ivy, dull and heavy odour
Benzoin: Aphrodite/Venus - rose, red sandalwood; Ares/Mars - pine

For Samhain, I'd go for rose and the sandalwoods (as available). Maybe rose oil to set an early 'top note', to be followed by heavier tones, maybe dragon's blood?

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Re: Magickal Incenses
Morpheus

How about : Frankincense mixed with a yellow-brown base (easier than Myrrh using charcoal briquets) Sandalwood Lemon Verbena Datura Gum Arabic Gardenia oil

Makes a nice all-purpose ceremonial incense, its designed to clear the area, purify, and open up channels for your workings. And, of course, it smells nice :)

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Re: Magickal Incenses
Greg Edwards

a reply to Morpheus, above

Yes, YES! I also have a similar combination that I use along these lines. As a matter of fact it's just about the same mixture, with the exception of Datura and Gum Arabic. I use Black Malva Root in that instance. VERY nice effects!

I bet that the with the combination of Gardenia Oil and Myrrh... it has a tendency to become quite sweet, right? I love Myrrh, sometimes by itself in that situation too...

Makes a nice all-purpose ceremonial incense, its designed to clear the area, purify, and open up channels for your workings. And, of course, it smells nice :)

You do realize that it's the Frankensence that does that right? <smile> You should see my dog when I go to town on Frankensence.. He's worthless for the rest of the day. Great for calming him and the cat down.<smile> Do you have any others that you'd like to share?

Certainly that "Chemical" mind of yours has to have come up with additional samples..<grin>

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Incense Recipes
Greg Edwards

Greetings All!

A friend has graciously offered to give me some recipes for various incenses that you can make yourself by taking a simple stroll to the Bookstore or Metaphysical Supply Shoppe. I hope that you enjoy them..

Most of the following recipes call for mixing "Equal" parts of each ingredient. However, I have found that it makes for interesting flavours to use the trial/error meathod to see what you like best...

DREAM INCENSE #1

Camphor, Aloewood, Jasmine, Cucumber Seeds, White Sandlewood, and White Rose.

DREAM INCENSE #2

1/4 oz each of Bayberry, Sandlewood, and Anise Seed; 1/2 oz Patchouli Oil; 1 oz each of Myrrh, Powdered Charcol, and Benzoin. Mix together well. Add enough bonding agent to form cones and let dry.

ASTRAL INCENSE

1/2 each of Sandlewood, Lavender, and Dram Patchouli Oil; 1/4 each of Rose Petals, Gum Karaya and Bayberry; 1/3 oz Benzoin; 1/16 oz Saltpeter; 1/14 oz Powdered Charcoal; and 1 dram Frankincense Oil.

SCRYING INCENSE

Violets, Parsley, Anise, Camphor, Dittany of Crete, and Sandlewood.

BEAUTY & HAPPINESS

Jasmine, White Rose, Lotus, Red Sandlewood, Ylang-Ylang, Ambergris, and Benzoin

MOON GODDESS INCENSE

Storax, Poppy Seed, Aloe, Benzoin, Coriander Seed, Thyme, White Lily Petals, White Rose Petals, and Cinnamon.

MOON GODDESS INCENSE #2

Aloe, White Sandlewood, Storax, Pumpkin Seeds, Nasturtium Seed, Violets, Cucumber Seeds, Moonflowers (Osmunda Lunaria), and Wintergreen

CERNUNNOS INCENSE

Musk, Patchouli, Pine, Juniper, Calamus Root, and Benzoin.

SUN GOD INCENSE

Frankincense, Balm of Gilead, Cardomon, Ambergris, Orris Root, Heliotrope, and Cinnamon.

HEALTH INCENSE

Gum Karaya, Frankincense, White Sandlewood, and Gum Damar

ROMAN OFFERING INCENSE

Olive Wood, Bay Leaves, Patchouli, Pine, Myrrah, and Saffron.

DIVINATION INCENSE #1

Olibanum, Cloves, Camphor, Mastic, Wormwood, Bay Leaves, Cinquefoil, and Dittany of Crete.

DIVINATION INCENSE #2

Damiana, Dittany of Crete, Jimson Weed Seeds, Saffron, Anise, Solomon's Seal, Psyllium Seed, Frankincense, and Myrrh.

ALL PURPOSE RITUAL INCENSE

3 parts each of Orris Root, Patchouli, and Benzoin; 5 Parts each of Cinnamon, and Myrrh; 15 Parts each of Sandlewood, and Frankincense.

BANISHING INCENSE

Hyssop, Calamint, Peony, Rosemary and Mint.

BALANCE & HARMONY

Orris Root, Cardomon, Red Sandlewood, Gum Benzoin, and Rose.

EGYPTIAN INCENSE

Camphor, Acacia, Pine Resin, Calumus, Myrrh and Sweet Rush.

As I've mentioned, these recipe formulas are varied, and should be tested in various amounts. Perhaps you will find one that you prefer, and will be kind enough to post it.

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Morpheus
Re: Incenses, datura

Take about equal portions of frankincense tears, myrrh (powder, if I recall - like Dr. Pryor's brand), powdered sandalwood, lemon verbena (cut and sifted), and gum arabic powder, plus half as much datura seeds. Grind together with mortar and pestle. Once it is well mixed, add enough gardenia oil to dampen the mix. NOT enough to leave it wet :). Then add in one of the commercial incense bases (I don't know the brand, I had this made up at The Mystique Shoppe in Norfolk) - about as much base as ingredient.

I personally do not purify the herbs before mixing or use. With the frankincense, myrrh, and sandalwood there shouldn't be much problem. The mix should be kept in a glass jar to keep the oil in the mix, and not all through the house.

For those reading this message that do not practice any of the various Arts, this does make an effective room freshener, and early autumn scent I think. Frankincense may not exactly exorcise real demons, but it does chase away old tennis shoe, dirty clothes, and last week's dirty dishes scent monsters <G>

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Greg Edwards
Herbs For Ceremony

Now to some other things...

Do any of you have some interesting Herbal Combinations that you can recommend for Ceremonial Baths? As you know, YULE is just around the corner.

Here is one such formulation from the "Grove of the Silverlight"

RITUAL BATH FOR CIRCLE:

Purpose: To cleanse your external and well as internal self. Allows meditative state to develop, and removes the lower negative vibrations. A candle, and some nice incense will assist in the meditative state.

Preperation: Take equal parts of the following, and steep them in a "Non-Metallic" container or pot, with hot water. Pour the mixture in your bath and soak while you meditate. You should always use the "real" herbs, rather than the extract or oils for best results:

Ingredients:

Peppermint - Hyssop - Comfrey Root - Lemon Grass - Rose Hips - Thyme - Lavender - Sandlewood Chips or Powder - Balm of Gilead - Rosemary - Vervain - Compry - Valerian - Chamomile - and 3 pinches of Sea Salt...

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Area: Occult Echo (WishNet)
From: Blackwood
Subj: Roses, roses part II

Moist Potpourri

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Collect petals from local wold roses (Rosa nootkana), or other strongly scented roses (Rosa Gallica Officianalis, Rosa Centifolia). The blend of scent from the spicy wild roses, and the perfumelike garden roses is especially lovely! To make a moist pot poerri, the petals must be PARTLY dried, so they feel leathery. If they begin to feel crisp, it's too late: dry them completely and use for something else.

In a large ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel crock or bucket, layer 3 cups of the partially dried petals with and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Mix thoroughly, and then weight the mixture down with a plate topped with a rock or a quart jar of water (tightly capped and dry! it can ruin your mix if it gets wet!) Continue to add salt and petals as long as they are available. Each time you add petals, add the salt in the correct proportion and mix the new petals in with the old ones. As they begin to turn brown, they will smell quite strong, but as they age, the scent will mellow.

Soon you will have a crockful of caked, brown rosepetals. Let them sit for a month or so:continue to stir them every few days and weight them as before. After aging, the roses can be used as is, or you can add spices and a fixative to the mixture. Use the mixture to follow, if desired.

--- From HERBAL TREAURES by Phyllis V. Shaudys; from the article in the same book by the title of "Moist Potpourri" by Margret Thorson.

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Thousand Flower Farm Old-Fashioned Rose Potpourri

1-1/2 gallons cured rose petals
6 ounces dried orange peel
1 ounce powdered orris root (optional)--a fixative
1 ounce powdered cinnamon
1 ounce powdered allspice
1-1/2 ounces powdered cloves

Return this mixture to the crock, put the weight back on, and let cure for a month. Because this potpourri is moist, salty, and granular--and not especially pretty--it doesn't work in cloth sachets. We sell it in little wicker sachets that can be hung on the holiday tree, or in a closet. It is also nice in ceramic or pewter (read: OPAQUE) potpourri jars.

--- From HERBAL TREASURES by Phyllis V. Shaudys; the recipe title listed above, by Margret Thorson. Rozey, GET THIS BOOK! She also has another book (which I *had*...lent and never returned!) called THE PLEASURE OF HERBS, which I loved! There are Lavander cookies listed...they sound so yummy...and ALOT of other recipes! Blessings, Blackwood

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Advice to the Beginning Herbalism Student
Joe Teller

Before I take this any further, and before I begin my posts on herbs and their applications, I want to make it clear that my training in this is yet incomplete. Much of what I am going to cover is taken from notes from the many teachers I have had, some very useful reference books and experience. I will pass on what I have, in hope that those who have more may add to the knowledge, present their own experiences and generally SHARE our most important community commodity - INFORMATION. The idea is to expand ourselves, through free exchange of this information and by doing so help the entire Pagan community survive in the long run. Please feel free to distribute the information I post here in this and other message areas and in files to as many people as might be interested!

Herbalism, like midwifery skills, is one of the oldest parts of teaching within the craft, but is also one where we have lost a huge amount of information and where science has yet to catch up. Every pagan culture has utilized the herbalism of its particular region, and I have found no one source or teacher who could possibly know about every herb that grows on the Earth. Yet today we have the opportunity to perhaps achieve this within a lifespan or two, using the electronic communications at our fingertips. Science is now slowly beginning to learn the importance of the natural herbs in healing, but they will take centuries to figure it all out because of the way they go about things, unless nudged.

The first step in herbalism is to gather the tools you will need, and that is the main point of this first message. I have found the following useful and in many cases vital to learn and practice the use of herbs.

1) A Good mortar and pestle, one of stone or metal is preferred. If wood is used you will need two, one for inedibles and one for edibles - make sure they do not look identical, as you do not want to accidentally poison anyone!!!

2) Containers. Although you can buy dried herbs over the counter in many places these days, do not store them in the plastic bags they come in, as these are usually neither reusable nor perfectly airtight. Rubbermaid style plastic containers are good, but expensive. I have used glass coffee and spice jars/bottles to good effect, as well as some medicine bottles. The more you recycle the better ecologically, just make sure they have been thoroughly washed and dried before placing anything inside them.

3) Labels. This is vital! None of us in this day and age can possibly recognize each herb in its various forms simply by sight. Always label your containers as you fill them, and if possible date them when they were filled so you don't keep spoiled stock on the shelf.

4) Tea Ball. A good metal teaball of the single cup size can be very useful in the long run when your are experimenting, and when you are making single person doses of teas and tonics.

5) Cheesecloth. Useful for straining a partially liquid mixture and occasionally for the making of sachets.

6) A good sized teakettle. Preferably one that will hold at least a quart of water.

7) A Good teapot for simmering mixtures. I use one from a chinese import store that has done me well.

8) A good cutting board and a SHARP cutting knife for just herbal work.

9) A notebook of some sort to record the information in as you go, both successes and failures. Always record anything new you try that may or may not work, and also and research information you get from various sources (like this echo!)

10) An eyedropper.

11) White linen-style bandages. Some Ace bandages are also useful in the long run.

12) A metal brazier of some sort, or a metal container that can withstand heavy usage and heat from within or without, useful for several things including the making of your own incenses.

13) Reference sources. Shortly you should see a list of books that I have read from in the past that I consider useful, build from this as a starting point to others and to your teachers help. That's it to start, you'll pick the rest up as you go. Take your time studying, take lots of notes, compare your sources and your own personal results on each herb and on herbal mixtures of any kind.

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Several Ways of Preparing Herbs for Use.
Koren

Notes: Always keep a record of the work you do. If using herbs for healing, remember you are NOT a doctor, use them only for adjuncts not replacements for medical treatment. The traditional Herbal Craftsperson will meditate as the work is done and after it is completed, in this way learning is continued.

The Water in the following preparations is brought to boiling then poured over the herb, the herbs are NOT boiled in the water, for that would cause a breakdown of the vitamins and minerals in the herbs that are so vital to the healing process.

MAKING AN INFUSION

This process draws the properties you want out of the herb for healing. An infusion is basically a strong tea. The normal mixture is 1 pint of water to 1/2 ounce of herb. It takes experience to learn how long each herb needs to steep, some take longer than others, the average length of time is 1/2 hour but with practice you'll learn which take longer and which take less time. This is the easiest method.

MAKING A DECOCTION

This is much the same as an infusion (tea) except you are working with a much more solid herb such as thick pieces of root or bark which can't be ground up or the remedy calls for a much stronger dose.. This is the one case where you should BOIL THE HERB. In fact that's the whole process. Make sure that no steam escapes or the vital oils will go away with it. Also (of course) never use any metal when doing ANY herbal remedies. If you will have more than one ingredient in the decoction begin by boiling the toughest then work down. Start with cold water and after boiling for what you consider long enough allow it to steep usually for at least 30 minutes.

MAKING A POULTICE

This is used when you need to apply the herbs externally such as for a burn or for acne. Yes it's messy but often essential for healing. Pour boiling water over the herbs using just enough to dampen them or evenly cover the plant matter, you're not trying to extract anything from the herb only to moisten it. When it is all evenly wet remove it with a strainer and place between 2 pieces of gauze (cheesecloth also works well if folded several times). You then apply the gauze with the herbs inside to the affected part and allow the moisture with the herb essence to pass within the person.

MAKING AN OINTMENT

This method involves mixing the herb(s) with a fixative such as petroleum jelly or vegetable fat. This is done by heating the fixative until it is quite warm and adding the ground herbs to it. Once mixed up the mixture can be heated more than once and allowed to cool. Once you are satisfied that all the goody has been removed from the herb the whole mixture should be strained and put into a storage container then allowed to cool. This is the same procedure used to make salves.

MAKING A WASH

Same as an infusion (tea) except you use it externally.

TINCTURE

These are used when long term storage is required. It requires alcohol of at least a 75% grade which can be safely ingested. Place the following in a jar which can be tightly sealed:

1-4 ounces of the herb 8 ounces of alcohol (drinkable!) 4 ounces of water

Seal the jar and keep it safely out of the light for 2 weeks. Each day at least once, check it and make sure that you loosed the mass of herb inside the jar by swirling it about. Continue this process until at the end of the 2 weeks the alcohol has extracted all the constituents without need of heat. This process is best begun on the new moon and completed on the full moon.

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Fluid Extracts
- author not noted

Fluid extracts are used both to concentrate and preserve the active ingredients of an herb, enabling it to be used whenever necessary, i.e., when the herb is out of season.

Fluid extracts are considered by many herbalists to be the preferred way to preserve water soluble active ingredients. If possible always use fresh ingredients.

When properly made one fluid ounce of fluid extract equals one ounce of fresh herb.

Always use accurate measurements to ensure consistency and the effect of a given dose.

Equipment needed - Large non metal or stainless steel pan with lid, water (not city water), heat source, measuring jug, vegetable glycerine.

Directions to produce 4 oz of Dandelion root fluid extract 4 oz washed fresh Dandelion roots 3 quarts water (total amount) 2 fluid oz vegetable glycerine

Chop Dandelion roots into approx 1\4 inch pieces. Put into pan with 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil and then cover pan and allow to simmer until water is reduced to one quart. Take off heat and strain through a cloth squeezing out all excess liquid.

Place remains of herb back into pan and add one quart water. Save fluid that was strained and put to one side. Reheat pan to boil and simmer herbs again with the pan covered until liquid is reduced by half to 1 pint. Strain through a cloth discarding the solid remains.

Now combine the two strained liquids, return to the large pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer until liquid is reduced to 2 fluid ounces. These will take several hours...

You have now extracted all the water soluble ingredients from 4 oz. of Dandelion roots and concentrated them into 2 oz of fluid. Remove this liquid from heat and allow to cool. Add 2 oz of vegetable glycerine and mix well. Pour into a dark glass bottle, stopper tightly and store in a cool place. Treated with care this fluid extract will last at least one year.

N.B. - Glycerine is an essential fatty acid and is generally a by product of soap manufacturing. It is used as a preservative and stabilizing agent. Never add glycerine to hot liquids as it is temperature sensitive and will coagulate. Always mix with cold or warm liquids.

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History of the Apothecary Garden
Tamarra S. James

The idea of separating a garden into one for useful plants and another for beauty is a fairly recent innovation. Until about three hundred years ago, all plants were considered to be useful either as medicine or food, some in a practical way, others in a purely symbolic application. Even the beauty of the plants themselves was thought to be medicinal, contributing to the general health of the individual by strengthening the spirit, giving comfort to the soul, and lifting depression of the mood. One must not lose sight of this principle when approaching the medieval garden, as in a very real sense, all gardens had their origin in the physic garden.

Aside from the few basic medicinal plants grown by every housewife for the cure of common minor ills, much like we use the patented medicines of today, the bulk of the truly curative herbs were originally cultivated in the monastery gardens. Healing was, from the earliest recorded times granted the distinction of being a religious practice. Each culture of the Pagan period had its healing gods, and in evolution, one of the greatest miracles attributed to the god of the new religion was the power to heal.

The monks were, by and large a literate class of people where the greater population was not, so it is that the majority of the hard information regarding growth, plant description, and garden lists has come from them. We can assume that the gardens of the doctors and apothecaries were similar if on a much smaller scale, as the monks had greater access to plants imported from other parts of the world than the common man.

The infirmary garden of a monastery generally consisted of several raised rectangular beds with walkways between them. Most of the plants were to be found in the Emperor Charlemagne's list of medicinal herbs which formed a part of his "Capitulare de Villis" a document from the ninth century which detailed the plants he wished his gardeners' to plant on his estates and which he encouraged all of his subjects to plant for the benefit of the nation.

As society reached out of the Middle Ages into the fifteenth century, new plants were being brought back from the Americas. Master Ion Gardener wrote the practical text, "The Feate of Gardening". This was a set of instructions on cultivation, grafting, and the culture of herbs. All of the herbs listed in Master Ion's treatise were old world, and had been commonly grown all over Europe for hundreds of years. It reached beyond the folklore of plants and provided a sound scientific base for the gardener to work from.

In the sixteenth century we find the first wave of dramatic change in the gardening consciousness of Europe since the beginning of the Crusades. Prior to this there had been a limited number of herbs that had grown familiar to the herbalist through years of cultivation and use. Now we have almost daily expansion of the herbalists, as navigators and explorers carried back new seed and rootstock, along with documents containing native applications of the medicines of their lands. Most significant in this influx of new botanicals were those from the Americas.

The feeling of the time is best illustrated by a quotation from Holinshed, a historian of the sixteenth century. "It is a wonder also to see how many strange herbs, plants, and annual fruits are daily brought unto us from the Indies, Americas, Taprobane, Canary Isles and all parts of the world. I have seen in someone's garden to the number of three or four hundred of them, if not more, the half of those names within forty years past we had no manner of knowledge."

The first botanic gardens as places of study were founded in Padua Italy 1545 and in Oxford England 1621. These schools of herbalism effectively took medicine out of the hands of the monastery and placed it under the control of the educating physicians. Doctors began to lecture on the healing properties of herbs, and their reliance on leeching, or bleeding, and chemical alchemy was largely replaced by the study of the new science of herbal alchemy.

It was in the seventeenth century, following this great influx of herbs, that the largest number of herbals were published. Many of them included the New World herbs as a matter of course. Most of these books were written by doctors of medicine, but they were now leaning more heavily on the botanical properties and characteristics of plants than on the previous, almost mystical systems of humours, planetary influences, and doctrine of signatures.

Prior to this time, almost all herbals relied heavily on Dioscorides' volume entitled "De Materia Medica". It required the discovery of new plants to generate original research and the development of herbal philosophy. There was still a problem in that many of these authors were writing about plants they had never seen or used. There existed popular engraving templates for the illustration of herbals, usually created by artists rather than herbalists, and often from description instead of observation. In some cases, such as John Gerard's "Great Herbal" or "History of Plants" the wrong illustration was placed in the text, confusing the reader, and the dilettante herbalist, who repeated the error in his own book.

In 1577 an herbal of an entirely new type was translated from the Spanish into English. It was written by Nicholas Monardes, and was entitled, "Joyfull Newes Out Of The Newe Founde Worlde". This book catalogued and described medicinal plants from America. Then, in 1629 and 1640 a pair of books were published that changed the entire face of herb lore. They are often considered to be the greatest English books on herbs and plants ever published. They were written by John Parkinson, and are entitled respectively, "Paradisi I Sole Paradisus Terrestris" and "Theatrum Botanicum: The Theatre of Plants". More than 3,000 plants are described in this volume, and unlike their predecessors, these books combine history, horticulture, botany, and pharmacy all in one place. Parkinson is also the first herbal author to seriously attempt botanical classification into tribes or families of plants, and into classes.

The herbals of Parkinson and Gerard went to the New World along with the settlers, and a selection of seed and rootstock for various medicinal herbs accompanied them. The ships returned to England with native North American plants to be cultivated, and studied in the European botanical colleges and gardens. The properties of many of the plants were learned from the Native Indians, which lead to the publication of John Josselyn's book, "New England's Rarities Discovered" in 1672. This book included "The Physical and Chyrurgical Remedies Wherewith The Natives Constantly Use To Cure Their Distempers, Wounds and Sores". In 1728, John Bartram founded North America's first botanic garden near Philadelphia. In 1765, he was commissioned 'Botanizer Royal For America' and began to travel and collect plants, accompanied by his son, who was a major botanical artist. It is through the labors of these two men that many North American herbs came to the attention of the Swedish Botanist Carl Linnaeus, and were classified by him.

The study of the herb garden is in itself a study in the evolution of botanical medicine and its development. In the garden lists we see not just the herbs that were known to the early doctor, but more importantly, those which were used by him.

A list of the herbs from John Bartram's garden examined in relation to the monastery garden of the ninth century gives indication of a greater range of subtlety in the mixing of possible ingredients, and a wider set of applications than those available to the lay brothers in their time. An asterisk marks the New World herbs.

Melissa officinalis, Lemon Balm. Ocimum basilicum, Sweet Basil *Mondara didyma, Bee Balm. *Cimicifuga racemosa, Black Cohosh. *Eupatorium perfolatum, Boneset. Borago officinalis, Borage. Nepeta cataria, Catnip. Dianthus caryophyllus, Clove Pink. Vinca major, Periwinkle. Symphytum officinale, Comfrey. Digitalis purpurea, Fox Glove. Cochlearia amoracia, Horseradish. Pulmonaria officinalis, Lungwort. *Lobelia siphilitica, Great Lobelia. Calendula officinalis, Pot Marigold. Verbascum thapsus, Mullein. Paeonia officinalis, Peony. Myrtus communis, Myrtle. Hypericum perforatum, St. John's Wort. Teucrium marum, Germander. Galium odoratum, Sweet Woodruff. Tanacetum vulgare, Tansy. Artemisia dracunculus, French Tarragon. Dipsacus fullonum, Fuller's Teasle. *Asarum virginicum, Wild Ginger. *Gaultheria procumbens, Wintergreen. Acorus calamus, Sweet Flag. Crocus sativa, Saffron Crocus. Allium schoenoprasum, Chives. Lonicora caprifolium, Woodbine Honeysuckle. Rubus fruticosus, Blackberry. *Hamamelis virginiana, Witch Hazel. Lindera benzoin, Spice Bush. Punica granatum, Pomegranate. Cassia acutifolia, Alexandrian Senna. Ilex aquifolium, English holly. *Populus candicans, Poplar, Balm of Gilead. *Cornus florida, Dogwood. *Sassafras albidum, Sassafras. Laurus nobilis, Bay laurel. (The following herbs are also to be included in this garden. Latin names can be found in the previous list: Chamomile, Lovage, Dill, Fennel,Horehound, Hyssop, French Lavender, Pennyroyal, Mint, Rosemary, Rue, Agrimony, Sage, Thyme, Yarrow,Madonna Lily, Apothecary's Rose).

It is likely that this is an optimistic list since weather conditions in Philadelphia would have made the growth of plants such as Pomegranate extremely difficult, although most of the herbs would quite handily grow there. As you can see, the majority of the herbs from the ninth century list are still included, with the many additions of the New World herbs. Today, many of these herbs are still grown for their use as pharmaceuticals and even as medicine advances into the "Modern age" it remains rooted with the herbs, in the origins of the apothecary garden.

Bibliography

John Gerard. The Herbal Or General History of Plants. Facsimile Edition Of 1633 Edition. Dover Publications, NY 1975.

Gosta Brodin. Agnus Castus A Middle English Herbal. Reconstructed from various manuscripts. Upsalla 1950.

Andrew Boorde. Fyrst Boke Of The Introduction Of Knowledge. Reproduction of The 1542 Edition. Early English Text Society Reprint 1964.

Sarah Garland. The Herb Garden. Penguin Books NY 1984.

Rosetta E. Clarkson. The Golden Age Of Herbs And Herbalists. Dover Publications NY 1972.

L. Butler & C. Given-Wilson. Medieval Monasteries Of Great Britain. Michael Joseph London 1983.

Nicholas Culpepper. Culpepper's Complete Herbal. W. Foulsham & Co. London.

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Magickal Woods
From: Hermit Dan
Subject: wooduse
Source: FidoNet Wicca Echo

Intro:

This text file gives several ways to obtain, prepare, and use wood as a magickal tool.

How to get the wood:
There are several ways to get wood for use. The first and best way is to ask the tree. Just walk up to the tree and talk to it with your mind. The tree will usually answer you, and if the tree doesn't want to give part of itself, don't worry about it. Just don't take wood from that tree - there are other trees in the woods. If it will help, get to know the tree, but keep in mind that they are very formal, so if they seem like a Brit, keeping a stiff upper lip, that's just the way they are. Another way is to go out after a storm, and pick up pieces that have fallen off. If you can determine which tree it came from, then go ahead and ask the tree. A gift is attuned to it's user, so asking the tree makes it a gift. That's why I emphasize it.

What to do with the wood:
When you get your piece of wood, you can do several things to the wood. For instance, you can carve sigils into and out of the wood, although it's best if you ask the tree for that, too. (The wood is given as is, so you shouldn't alter your gift without permission.) You can also strip the wood of bark, even without asking the tree. This has the advantage of allowing the wood to collect energy. As an example, a friend of mine has a wand of dogwood. She stripped the bark, and sets it out every full moon to collect the energy the moon throws off.

Never, never do you put a preservative on the wood. Do not put any lacquer seal, or other type of coating on it to protect the wood. This closes the pores of the wood, hampering its ability to let the energy flow to and from the device. The only exception to this rule is when you want to store energy in the wood, as you would a crystal. It somewhat hampers the wood even then, but not enough to affect the operation greatly. Then, you can stain it, varnish it, or do anything else to it. (One reason for doing this is that it makes the wood look pretty if you wish to wear it. Wood has a natural beauty, and the staining sometimes augments this.) Popular sigils to carve are: pentacles, ankhs, crosses (a symbol of purity, which is why the Christians used it.), personal symbols, yew symbols, and various viking runes. (I don't recognise most that I have seen)

Woods to use:
There are several woods you can use. Any tree will do, so feel free to get any type of wood you want. Here are a few examples.

Pine- This tree is an old species, and the trees live a very long time. The wood from this tree has the aspects of stamina, strength, and life.
Willow- This tree is almost fully under the influence of the moon. It has the aspects of the moon, healing, and inspiration. This wood is good for enchantments.
Rowan- This tree is the most magickal of all. It is very protective in nature, and legend states that you are always safe under a Rowan's branches. The tree is also strong in the astral. It has the aspects of healing, protection, and astral work.
Dogwood- This is my personal favorite, mainly because the wood is useful, and the tree itself is beautiful, especially to talk to. It has the aspects of sacrifice, utility, capacity, and servitude.
Hickory- This tree is very tough, both physically and mentally. It is the toughest tree in the U.S. It makes nice staves, and its wood is very pretty, I think. It has the aspects of resiliency, strength, stamina, and regeneration.
Oak- This tree is very majestic in nature, and it is the tree most revered by Druids, exept possibly mistletoe. (That's not a tree, but it does have wood.) It has the aspects of strength, endurance, long-lasting effect, and triumph.

I hope this helps someone, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. Keep in mind when using wood that the effect is mental as well as physical.

Hermit Dan
Brightest blessings to all

(c)1990 The readers can distribute this any way they want, as long as it's distributed unchanged. All the information herein can be used freely.

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An Introduction to the Doctrine of Signatures
Tamarra S. James

It is unthinkable that any serious student of herbal medicine would be unaware of the existence of a diagnostic system called, "The Doctrine of Signatures". Most people have read of it in passing with little or no explanation. In the historical perspective, it is one of the most important modes of medical thinking to have evolved, and it was expounded in medical texts from the middle of the sixteen hundreds right up to the end of the nineteenth century.

The Doctrine of Signatures is most notable in that it was not originally formulated for the medical profession. It took shape as a spiritual philosophy that had as its base the simple concept that God had marked everything he had created with a sign. This sign was a clear indicator of the item's true purpose as intended by God.

There are allusions to this sort of theory in the writings of Galen A.D. 131-200. But it was not until the publication of Jacob Boehme's Book "Signatura Rerum; The Signature of all Things" was published in the first half of the seventeenth century that it took form as a complete philosophy.

Jacob Boehme was not a learned man, he was in fact, a shoemaker from a poor family just outside Goerlitz, Germany. In 1600, he was visited by a sudden illumination of the mind in which it was made clear to him the doctrine he espoused for the remainder of his life. He published his revelations in the book, "Aurora", 1612, and was promptly exiled from his home town by the city council on the advice of the pastor of Goerlitz. The city council reversed the banishment the next day on the condition that he wrote no further books. He was apparently unable to comply with the conditions and left for Prague the next year. He died in 1624 having authored two books and several treatises on the subject of his visions.

The first person to look on Boehme's theories as something more secularly useful than a method for spiritual meditations was Paracelsus who was writing in the first half of the sixteen hundreds. Paracelsus is considered by modern scholars to be the father of modern chemistry, and he did much in his lifetime to popularize the Doctrine of Signatures in its medical application.

(Put in its simplest terms, the Doctrine states that by careful observation one can learn the uses of a plant from some aspect of little far fetched, and it would seem that this was a case of attempting to make the known facts fit the popular theory. In a period where most of the world was still largely illiterate, it is likely that the Doctrine of Signatures was useful as a mnemonic aid for the apprentice who was learning by observation and rote.

I will give here a series of examples from William Cole who was writing in the Seventeenth Century and was greatly influenced by the teachings of Paracelsus. They will give you some idea of the practical application of the Doctrine. These examples are taken from notes that were intended to teach the practices of medicine. His books are titled, The Art of Simpling and Adam in Eden.

The distilled water of Hawthorn: "It is found by good experience, that if cloathes and spunges be wet in the said water and applyed to any place whereinto thornes, splinters etc. have entered and be there abiding, it will notably draw forth, so that the thorn gives a medicine for its own prickling." The signature is in the thorn itself in this case.

Lung wort, due to the spots on its leaves was related to Pulmonary complaints. Plants with yellow flowers or roots, such as Goldenrod were believed to cure conditions of Jaundice by the signature of color. Plants with a red signature were used for blood disorders. John Gerard states in his herbal when speaking of St. John's Wort, "The leaves, flowers and seeds stamped, and put into a glass with oile olive, and set in the hot sunne for certaine weeks togather and then strained from those herbes, and the like quantity of new put in, and sunned in like manner, doth make an oile of the color of blood, which is a most precious remedy for deep wounds..." In this sort of case, the doctrine goes a little far in demanding that the preparation be made before the signature evidences itself.

The petals of the Iris were commonly used as a poultice for bruising because of the signature of color, the petals resembling in hue the bruise they were to alleviate.

Beyond the signature of color was that of form. If a portion of a plant resembled an organ or other part of the Human Anatomy, it was believed to be beneficial to that part, thus, Cole speaks of Lily of the Valley in the following terms, " It cureth apoplexy by Signature; for as that disease is caused by the dropping of humours into the principal ventricles of the brain: so the flowers of this Lily hanging on the plants as if they were drops, are of wonderful use herein."

Poplar or "Quaking Aspen" leaves were used for shaking Palsy, and Byrony root, which, with a little imagination could be said to resemble a swollen human foot, was obviously signed for use in cases of Dropsy which caused swelling of the foot. There are many more examples of similar types, but this will give a sort of general overview to the theory.

The Doctrine of Signatures naturally led to the concept of Astrological influence, and this was developed and put forward by Nicolas Culpeper in his book, Judgement of Diseases in the mid sixteen hundreds. This was a sort of scientific version of the Doctrine of Signatures that set itself up in opposition to the simpler folk style we have seen previously. In fact there were a number of vituperative arguments and clashes between Cole and Culpeper over the relative merits of the two systems.

In short, the two systems weren't that far different from each other, and their evaluations of the uses of herbs were generally the same, the means of arriving at the interpretation was the thing in dispute. Culpeper felt that only astrologers were fit to study medicine; being an astrologer himself did not, I'm sure, hinder him in the formation of this bias. Cole was of the "College of Physicians in London", whom Culpeper loudly decried as, "A company of proud, insulting, domineering doctors, whose wits were born about 500 years before themselves." Cole was also the most avid proponent of the Doctrine of Signatures.

They carried on a literary battle for supremacy which was effectively won in 1649 by Culpeper, when he published, "a physicall directory or a translation of the London dispensary made by the College of Physicians in London..." In this book, he had translated the College's main medical text from the Latin, into the vernacular so that the common man could wean himself away from dependance on the Doctors by delving into the mysteries that were formerly known only to the learned physicians. He also added his own commentary on the formulas, and included a healthy dose of his astrological theories, seeming to give them the credence of the College. The College was not amused and proceeded to attack Culpeper in broadsides from this time, and continued unceasingly, even after his death.

The astrological system of diagnosis and treatment was set forth in Culpeper's "complete herbal" in the following way:

1. Consider what planet causeth the disease; that thou mayest find it in my aforesaid Judgement of Diseases. (His other book).

2. Consider what part of the body is affected by the disease and whether it lies in the flesh or blood or bones or ventricles.

3. Consider by what planet the afflicted part of the body is governed; that my Judgement of Diseases will inform you also.

4. You may oppose diseases by herbs of the planet opposite to the planet that causes them; as diseases of the luminaries by the herbs of Saturn and the contrary; diseases of Mars by the herbs of Venus and the contrary.

5. There is a way to cure diseases sometimes by sympathy and so every planet cures its own diseases; as the sun and moon by their herbs cure the eyes, Saturn the spleen, Jupiter the liver, Mars the gall and diseases of the choler, and by Venus diseases in the instruments of generation."

Astrology was consulted for diagnosis, classification of medicinal plants and bodily functions, the preparation of medicines, and the determination of the most favorable time to administer the remedy. I will briefly set down the basic planetary divisions of the botanic kingdom. One will note how similar the method is to the broader Doctrine of Signatures, in fact, there is little deviation here from the planetary catalogue set down by Paracelsus.

SUN: The sun was said to rule the heart, circulation, and the vertebral column. All plants that appeared solar, such as Calendula and Sunflower fell under its influence, as did those plants that followed the sun in their growth such as Heliotrope.

Plants that were heat producing, such as Clove and Pepper, and all those having a tonic effect on the heart were classified under the Sun.

MOON: The moon was held to influence growth, fertility, the breasts, stomach, womb, and menstrual cycle. It also exerted control over the brain and the memory. All body fluids and secretions were believed to be under the lunar sway. To some extent, the entire plant world was subject to the Moon, as harvesting and planting was performed in accordance with the lunar phases. Most especially lunar were those plants with a diaphoretic action, or with juicy globular fruits. Moisturizing, cooling, or soothing juices fell in here as well.

MERCURY; Mercury ruled the nervous system, and the organs of speech, hearing, and respiration. Mercuric plants bore finely divided leaves such as fennel, dill, and carrot. The smell was usually sharp and distinctive. The most typical of Mercury's plants had a mood elevating, slightly tonic effect.

VENUS: Venus ruled the complexion, the sexual organs, and the hidden inner workings of the body cells. Venusian plants almost all bore heavily scented, showy blossoms such as the Damascus Rose or the Apple Blossom. The medicinal effects were commonly emollient, anti-nephritic, and alterative. Of course, many of the aphrodisiac plants were included under the auspice of Venus as well.

MARS: Mars ruled the muscles, body vitality, and the libido. It also had influence in the combustion processes of the body and the motor nerves. Its plants generally affected the blood, and were stimulating, and in many cases aphrodisiac. Many were hot and acrid in their nature.

JUPITER: Jupiter ruled the liver, the abdomen, the spleen, and the kidney. Digestion was governed by this planet as was body growth. Most of Jupiter's plants are edible, many bearing nuts or fruit such as the chestnut and the apricot. Its medicinal traits are antispasmodic, calmative, hepatic, and anthelmintic.

SATURN: Saturn ruled over aging, the bone structure, teeth, and all hardening processes. Many of its plants are poisonous such as Hemlock and Belladonna. The effects of Saturnian plants are sedative, pain relieving, coagulant, or bone-forming.

Beyond these seven planets, the proponents of this theory had no knowledge of any other heavenly influences.

To many of us, this method seems very arbitrary and unreliable, but one must note, that it was more a system of catalogue than a real formula for discovery. A budding herbalist may know that Mercury has many plants with highly divided leaves like Parsley, but he also knew, that Jupiter had the Hemlock, also with finely divided leaves, and so he could not trust that all plants with the leaf type would act the same. Most of the herbal apprentices could read little and write less, and the Doctrine of Signatures came to the rescue as a slightly more dignified mnemonic key than the doggerel verse of the village witch-wife.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Signature of All Things, Jacob Boehme: James Clarke & Co. Ltd., Cambridge 1969.

The Golden Age of Herbs & Herbalists., Rosetta E. Clarkson: Dover Publications Inc., New York 1972.

Culpeper's Complete Herbal, Nicholas Culpeper; W. Foulsham & Co. Ltd. London

The Herbal of General History of Plants. John Gerard: Dover Publications Inc. 1975.

Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy: Manfred M. Junius: Inner Traditions International Ltd., New York 1985.

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