A Very Useful Herb

On my altar right next to the re-rooting rosemary sprig is a bottle of rosemary oil.  It is very likely the most used magickal item in our house.  I use it to anoint my family for protection, I rub it on my husbands temples for clarity of thought while studying and I use it to anoint my own forehead for purification before ritual and divination.  Some days, everyone in the household smells of rosemary.

Additionally, I also use dried rosemary leaves blended in an incense for divination and in spell work. Magickaly, rosemary is touted as being the herb that can be used in place of any other herb, but I have yet to put that to the test.  I prefer to substitute a similar herb when I must.  However, the magickal properties of rosemary are diverse, from protection to clarity of thought to love and even to purification.  Scott Cunningham even suggests burning rosemary to promote healing, which is where things get really interesting.

Burning rosemary, especially when combined with juniper, is effective at killing germs and preventing infections.  Before modern antiseptics, this combination was often burned in hospitals to keep illness from passing between patients.  Magickal and medicinal in one!

Just today, I smudged my home with rosemary grown by my oldest daughter.  We've been fighting a nasty cold for over a week now and everytime I think we've kicked it, things take a turn for the worse.  I knew I needed to do something to stop the cycle, but it is just too chilly to open the house up for a good airing.  So, I smudged and in smudging I tapped into both the magicakal and the medicinal uses of rosemary I don't have any juniper right now.

After lighting my charcoal disk and getting a nice billowy smoke from my dried roseamary, Miss Busy and I walked through the house with the smoking bowl.  As we made our small tour, we chanted,  "Smoke of rosemary, billow and blow.  Smoke of rosemary, germs must go."   Simple magick, but magick that I know works.

From a purely medical standpoint, our steadfast belief in rosemary as a helper in clear thought and concentration is a proven truth.  Rosemary stimulates circulation to the brain and gives us sharper memory and cognition. Because of this stimulation, it is also effective for relieving headaches associated wth stress and will minimize the symptoms of a cold.  For medicinal purposes, rosemary is best ingested raw, but if you can't stomach chewing on a rosemary leaf try a cup of rosemary tea or adding a sprig or two to a pot of soup.

Rosemay is additionally used to treat a vast array of women's issues, heart problems, and sluggish digestion.  It also tastes delicious in a homemade vegetable soup, chopped and sprinkled on top of homemade bread before popping it in the oven, or included in a chi tea blend.  Oh, and oven roasted chicken and potatoes with a sprinkling of fresh rosemary...delicious!

While I realize there is a lot more that I could say about this herb, I will just leave you with a suggestion to keep a few sprigs or a plant on hand for all purposes magickal, medicinal, and culinary. I have in no way exhausted the use of rosemary in this post, so do a bit of reading and find the uses that best suit your individual needs.

Smell My Breath

Like most girls growing up in the 90's I read Teen Magazine, YM, and Seventeen.  As silly as they seem now, the advice they gave was imperative to a successful social life for girls of my generation.  Where else were we going to learn to NEVER eat garlic on a date?! Fast forward twenty years and garlic is my stand herb for cooking and health.  Who cares if I smell like garlic?  Not me and Superman doesn't complain either. 

Since garlic is such an easy herb to obtain, it is usually the first thing I recommend for individuals wanting to try natural healing.  It is cheap, versatile, and effective.  As a detoxifying herb and natures anti-biotic it's uses are immeasurable and has been used for disease control as far back as the bubonic plague.  In Russia, garlic is actually referred to as "Russian Penicillin."  Contemporary medical studies have also found that it is effective for controlling glucose tolerance and lowering negative cholesterol while increasing the positive.  Just adding a clove or two during meal preparation on a regular basis can help maintain good health. 

Being in the middle of cold season, garlic is at the height of it's glory in my home right now.  I honestly can't seem to keep it in the house.  My favorite use for garlic this time of year is as a tea.  I slightly crush, peel, and then slice three large cloves before dropping them into my favorite mug and covering them with boiling water.  When the water is cool enough to drink, it is nicely infused with garlic I find it quite pleasantly flavored.  It has the immediate effect of relieving cold symptoms (headache, stuffiness, sore throat) and in the long run works to detoxify the body and actually send the cold packing.  Having caught a cold this past weekend, I am drinking this tea continually.  Just adding more garlic and boiling water to my cup though out the day. 

Another of my favorite applications of the herb is in the form of an infused oil.  I make it a pint at a time and use it for everything from cleaning cuts, to treating ear infections, to slathering on congested chests.  The concoction of this highly useful oil is ridiculously simple.  Start by pouring a pint of good olive oil into the top of a double boiler and adding a head of crushed, peeled, and chopped garlic.  Cover and simmer for 4 hours, making sure that the bottom pan does not boil dry.  After four hours, remove the oil from heat and allow to cool.  Strain out the garlic chunks and return the oil to the double boiler with yet another head of crushed, peeled, and chopped garlic.  Boil for another four hours.  At the end of this second cooking period, cool, strain, and store in an air tight container. I simply return it to the bottle I purchased the oil in.  It stores in a cool, dark cupboard for about six months. 

Magickaly, garlic is used for protection and exorcism.  Hence the traditional garlic rope hung in country kitchens.  According to the trustworthy Mr. Cunningham, in the old days Italians would bite a clove of garlic to ward of evil spirits and sailors would carry cloves with them on voyages to prevent shipwreck. 

Not Just for Pickling

Dill drying in my kitchen.


 

Last week at the farmers market, a lady was selling huge bunches of dill for pickling.   Now, I love good homemade pickles as much as the next girl, but there just isn't going to be any of those coming from my kitchen this fall.  To start with, I opted out of the garden this year on grounds that I would be extremely pregnant come harvest time yep, guessed that right and even if I were to have a plethora of cucumbers on hand the flat topped stove in this apartment would not handle my canner.  Still, the dill smelled delicious I tracked the vendor down with my nose and I could just imagine how tasty the wispy little greens would be mixed in with a salad or flavoring my favorite yogurt sauce.  Since I couldn't convince her to sell me just a bunch of greens, I decided to buy an entire bundle and dry the seeds for later use.  My kitchen has smelled amazing ever since. 

Not being extremely familiar with dill other than it's many culinary uses, I had to do a bit of research on this herb.  To start with, it's medicinal properties are pretty blasé.  As a tea it is used to calm stomach upset and its name references that use having been adapted from the old Norse word dilla meaning to lull, but that's the extent of it.  Nutritionally and magically, dill becomes much more exciting. 

As a food, dill is just plain good for you.  It is high in calcium, fiber, iron, and magnesium, as well as in vitamins A and C.  That makes me feel really good about using it in my salads and sandwiches this week.  Superman wasn't crazy about it in the yogurt sauce to go with his falafels, but I thought it was amazing. 

Magically, dill seed is known for protection and love it gives an overall sense of wellbeing and is traditionally hung in children's cradles.  It is also included in protective sachets and used to bless homes and particularly kitchens.  Since I am now the steward of a goodly amount of these seeds, I am sure I will find many ways to incorporate dill into my practice.  A few of my initial plans include a sachet to tuck into the babies bed and including it in a protective incense. 

Ethical Wild Harvest

Along the Yellowstone River: May 2014

Since I have been talking a lot about local plants I find growing wild, I thought it was probably my responsibility to make a post about the ethical harvesting of such plants.  Even though the plants I find along the river do not belong to any human, they are a living part of our world and come under the protection of the Others nature spirits, fairies, divas, elves... however you wish to address them.  One cannot simply go in an snatch up a plant or part of a plant and expect it to simply be alright.  Perhaps the Others won't find ways to fill your life with torment like the old stories say, but they will be offended and it will impact your future dealings with them negatively.

Before you even start thinking about harvesting a wild plant, you need to know a bit about where it grows.  Is the area maintained?  Will any human care if you harvest from the area?  Have any chemicals been sprayed on the area in an attempt to control weeds or insects?  Once you determine that the area is a good harvest location by human standards, then start thinking about how to harvest while maintaining a respectful relationship with nature.  Of course, we like to say in witchcraft that there are no set rules, but in all aspects of life good manners should be the first and foremost.  Following are my own personal guidelines.

1. Before harvesting from a plant, use your energy to communicate with the plant and obtain permission.  A plant that is struggling will tell you "no."  Respect that. 
2. Harvest no more than 30% of the plant.  The idea is to work with and borrow from the plant, not to destroy it.
3. Leave an offering to show your gratitude.  Many older books suggest a dime buried near the roots of the plant, but The Changeling (age 14) insists that a quarter is more appropriate if leaving money.  A sip of milk or honey water at the plant base is also appropriate and appreciated. 
4. Overall, just listen to your intuition and respect your position.  When out in nature, you are a guest.   

Also, if you find an unexpected treasure and believe it to be a gift, it is appropriate to leave a gift in return.  I carry small lengths of biodegradable ribbon in my pocket for this purpose.  Although it would be very rare indeed if the Others physically took your gift, they will know it was left for them and will accept the spirit in which you gave it. 

Lessons for a Magical Mama

 

There is nothing like a cantankerous child to ruin a magical moment.  You have slipped out for a nature walk, young one in tow, and just when you found what you thought you were looking for the child in the stroller turns into a banshee.  It only takes one wild yell to chase off every living being in the area and completely destroy your newly found center.  Yep, that is exactly what happened to me today. 

Superman and I had Miss Busy down by the river and in all fairness, we should have known better.  It was past naptime, but it was such a beautiful day- how could we resist?!  All was pretty well at first and she happily rode down the path perched on her daddy's shoulders.  It was when I paused and exclaimed, "Wild Sage!" Prairie sage/Wild sage is native to this region and can be used like white sage. More about the in a herbology post, this is a parenting ramble.    Things started going downhill.  Of course, this is one of the local plants I have been on the lookout for and I was all ready to harvest a bit.  By the time I had procured permission and left a small gift, all hell had broken loose.  We left quickly with a screaming little girl and one small branch of sage.

I have to admit that I was really disappointed to walk away from the potential smudge sticks just waiting beside the trail.  I had already envisioned the beautiful sage tied into pretty little bundles, drying in my pantry.  It was tempting to let my failed harvest become a sore spot in the day, but when I scrolled through the days photos on my camera I knew that no time had been wasted.  Not only do I now know where to find sage I'll go long before naptime in the future and arm myself with snacks, but we also enjoyed a beautiful walk, found an abandoned birds nest, picked out a campsite for later in the season, and made a few memories. 

Also, the older children have taught me just how fleeting the baby stage really is.  It will not be long before Miss Busy is no longer available to join me on daily walks.  She will have school and friends and activities clamoring for the moments that are currently all mine.  Then I will have all the time I need to gather herbs, commune with nature, and just be...but I will miss her. 

What A Weed!

Broad Leaf Plantain: Photo by the UofA Cooperative Extension Service
(This is one variety of Plantain, do some research to find what verities grow in your area.)

 

The other day while walking I found a few exciting plants growing along the river.  Going right along with my "discovery" of alfalfa was plantain.  A beautiful pairing if not in just their grand usefulness, but also in their colloquial names.  Where alfalfa has been known as "the father of herbs," plantain is know by the Navaho as "the mother of herbs."  A common little plant, found all across the North American continent often conspicuously in the middle of a perfect yard, the leaves and seeds of the plantain both contain some serious healing properties. 

When I first learned about plantain several years ago, I was living in the rural South and learned to use the leaves in the old backwoods tradition.  To ease the pain and swelling of a insect bite or sting pop a fresh plucked leaf into your mouth, chew it up into a bright green blob, and then slap that sucker onto the affected area.  It may sound a bit nasty and seem primitive, but it really works.  Plantain leaf is a well know antidote for skin aliments of all kinds ranging from snakebites to burns and abrasions.  When used as a poultice it is also known to promote the healing of wounds, sooth the itchy rash caused by poison ivy, and prevent infection.  Incorporated into a salve, it is an excellent all purpose ointment. 

My recent plantain find moved me to do further research on the usefulness of this plant and I was pleasantly surprised.  The seeds that grow in a tubal spray from the center of the plant, the arching growth top-center of the photograph, contain a mucinous sap that is used extensively for internal healing.  One of the most exciting being for the maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels.  The seeds themselves are used similarly to psyllium in treating irritation of the bowls.  One source also suggested that plantain root can be chewed to ease the pain of a toothache. 

Since many of these uses for plantain are new to me, there is very little I can do other than relate the findings of my research.  As I continue to explore and learn about this herb, I will share more of my personal findings.  For now, I can assure you that in skincare it sits right among slippery elm and aloe in my estimations. 

Magically, I can find no mentions of plantain in a context that does not support or refer to it's known medicinal properties.  Perhaps in healing this humble, intrusive weed finds it's own magic. 

Hay is For Horses

Alfalfa Plant: Photo by the UofA Cooperative Extension Service

 

 



...every child  knows that!  Furthermore, growing up rural, just about every child knew that good  hay generally meant alfalfa.  It is high in vitamin C, protein, chlorophyll, and calcium to name a few.  Equine folks will swear that it is the number one choice for feeding horses and, in fact, the word alfalfa comes from the Persian word asparti which means "horse fodder."

On my river walk the other day, alfalfa was one of the plants I was excited to find growing nearby.  My first reaction was nostalgia as I picked a handful to pop into my mouth and transport myself back to childhood.  Ahh. One of those moments to get lost in time.   AHEM!  Back to the adult world...a baby fussing in the stroller does that. Beyond my childhood memories of idyllic alfalfa fields, there is a very real reason to get excited about this plant.  It is chock full of good things and is very useful to maintaining good health. 

In spite of the fact that the Arabs refer to alfalfa as "the father of herbs," I consider it more of a woman's plant.  It is high in calcium which is essential to women of childbearing age.  Has naturally occurring fluoride to help maintain teeth and bone structure (something that many women struggle with as they age).  Is full of vitamin K that helps battle the  morning sickness that many of us suffer with in the early stages of pregnancy.  Finally, because of it's high nutritional content, alfalfa is also used to boost lactation. 

Besides all of the lady specific uses I have mentioned, alfalfa is also good for numerous other herbal and nutritional applications.  It is revered by vegetarians as an excellent source of B-12 vitamins.  It is also an acid reducer and is used for various stomach and blood ailments.  Several years ago, when I was struggling with some allergy and asthma problems, I used alfalfa in my concoction of herbs to manage symptoms affecting my breathing. 

With all the benefits of alfalfa and its delicate flavor, it would be tempting to ask why we don't just set out a bowl full of it to eat like spinach.  Unfortunately, alfalfa is too fibrous to be digested comfortably by the human system.  The best sources of alfalfa are in the form of sprouts and dried leaves infused as a tea.  Adding it to an already healthy diet could be very beneficial for any of us. 

Any witch would be remiss not to explore the magical properties of an herb, but magically, there is very little said about alfalfa.  The only information I found on this front was in The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl where it is mentioned that alfalfa has been used as a ward against money anxieties and is considered by some as a herb of protection. 

I Think I Did Something Right!

 

 

This past week, I made my husband an achy joint salve that does so  much more.  Let me 'splain. 

 

Using herbs medicinally is nothing new to me, but this was my first attempt to try and incorporate the magical properties of herbs.  My husband has been having increasing pain in nearly all his joints, so I needed to make him a salve. My previous knowledge of herbs told me that ginger and a touch of cayenne should soothe and reduce inflammation, but I wanted to go a bit further this time.  Using my resources for magical herbalism, I decided to try adding a trio of magical herbs for energy; cinnamon, carnation, and dragon's blood.  When my trip to the local health food store only turned up one of the three special ingredients, I decided to incorporate it all the same. 

 

So we are talking about a simple salve of ginger, cayenne, and cinnamon. It sounds pretty basic. Not having the other two magical elements I expected the cinnamon to do little more than add aroma and maybe a touch of heat to the warming element of the salve.  All the same, I charged my ingredients and proceeded to create my salve. 

 

The following morning, hubby woke up more achy than usual and I proceeded to rub the new salve into his hands, feet, and back.  Medicinally, it was spot on.  As I worked in the salve, I could feel the tightness recede and the inflammation drain away.  What happened next is where the surprise came in.  My previously achy, far side of forty-year-old husband started acting like a teenage boy. 

 

After a nap that resulted in very little rest, my husband turned to me and asked, "Wow!  What was that."  I had to grin just a little as I told him,

 

"It must have been the cinnamon." 

 

It wasn't a fluke either, I felt it to a lesser degree from the contact with my hands and we have tested it since with the same outcome.  Yes, I had known that one of the magical properties of cinnamon is to incite sexual passion, but since that was not my intent and it was a single herb working alone I had dismissed it's power.  I doubt I'll make that mistake again, but I will be making more achy joint salve.