The new moon is a wonderful time to make new goals and bring intention into your life. I participate in a very large pagan service every Sunday here in San Antonio and so I opened it up to the students to drop their new moon intentions into the bowl and I would burn them in the evening. (Spell below). I do read them just in case of suicidal ideations as I am a mandatory reporter and while there was none of that, it really made me realize that people’s basic needs are not being met. Work on mental health/anxiety, find love, learn to love myself, fix my finances, get out of debt, take care of my family, learn real skills, let go of people who don’t care about me, get stronger, and happiness were some of the most repeated. We always talk about how there is a mental health crisis in not just the U.S., but the world and this really drove that home. I hope that every one of them gets their wishes granted with the new moon because everyone deserves happiness.
Ingredients: Something to write with Something to write on Bay leaves Dandelion root Fireproof area to burn your intentions Lighter/matches
First, write out what your new intentions are. They can be as simple or as complex as you want. However, the simpler the better. It makes it easier to concentrate on it later on. By writing out your intentions, you are now commiting to it as an end goal, not just a hopeful wish. Place your paper in the fireproof location. You could also write your wishes on the bay leaves themselves. That is another fantastic way of performing this spell. Next you will cover the paper in bay (or add more bay to the fireproof area if you want to increase the spell’s effectiveness) and add dandelion as well. Finally, set all of it on fire. Paper and dried bay leaves are highly flammable so make sure you do this safely. Allow everything to burn and release your intentions up into the universe until it is nothing but ash.
Witch Tip: Use those ashes for later happiness spells or to create black salt afterwards.
I wasn’t quite done in my new attempts to greenify up my home! Once again, I adore plants and need them in my life but I cannot keep them alive! A total shame really….. My little black thumb was inherited from my mother who also cannot keep anything alive. I will never forget the day that she pulled a hydrangea out of the pot, put it in some freshly dug clay at high noon one summer day in North Carolina, covered it with some soil, and called it good. She said that ‘it better be hardy or it wasn’t meant to live’. Dad and I laughed, watered it, and told her that she had to at least give it A CHANCE! I am not as bad as my mother but I have still managed to kill most things, including drought resistant plants that require water once a month…..
My third plant experiment was a compilation of some extra colors and repotting another fake plant I got at Halloween last year. The arrangement is awesome but the pot it plain and black and uninteresting. So I decided to dress it up a bit!
I like the end result but I also was out of spooky additions. I plan to leave it like it is for now and then add some more when they are back in stores this fall. All in all, a cute end result!
It looks great on my guest bed that APPARENTLY the kitties have bene running across if the rumpled blanket is anything to go by.
My final one didn’t come out quite the way I wanted it to. Of the four, this is my least favorite, although it is still cute. I just couldn’t seem to get the right look that clicked in my brain.
It looks alright in the guest bedroom but it could certainly be better. I may redo this one in the future once I have invested in some more plants to add to it. Real vs. fake may not be for everyone but it is working out well for me! At least 75% of it is!
Have a bonus picture of Charlemagne helping me out from last time! What a photogenic little familiar!
After almost a decade of trying, I finally admit that I cannot keep anything alive. The only plants I have growing is an aloe and a few snake plants. I have officially killed the rest. BUT I want to have a green home! I love plants and seeing them all around! It brings me peace and happiness. So what about fake plants? I now realize that I have sunk a lot of money into purchasing and repurchasing plants for my home, only for them to meet my little black thumb and never recover.
Fake plants are roughly the same price (ironically) and last forever. To me, worth it. My home needs to have a certain look for my brain to be happy. If the plants need to be fake because that is the only way not to murder my wallet, then so be it!
This first one was in my guest bathroom and so easy because I just stuck the vines inside of a super cute cauldron planter. Quick, easy, and always green!
Charlie helped out with the second one! Such a good boy. He is always curious when I am doing anything remotely crafty. At this point I was just messing with the different plants and finding what combination worked best for the little bat planter I planned to hang up.
So cute! So spooky! And most importantly, so permanently green with no chance of randomly wilting or dying in the Texas sun…..
Fake plants are a decision you may fight yourself with to make. Some people hate the thought of plastic and fakeness. Some don’t mind a little of both. I, however, have bit the bullet and given up. Plastic it is! I gave all of my pots and the remaining things I have kept alive to my best friend because if ANYONE can bring them back to life and give them many green years, it’s her.
In honor of Arbor day, I thought a post about a very interesting haunted tree would be appropriate. In Whaleyville, Md., there’s a haunting tree with twisted branches, known to locals as the Witch’s Tree. The tree is located off the beaten path a bit and is technically within the Great Cypress Swamp, a conservation area managed by Delaware Wild Lands. The swamp is also called The Burnt Swamp because a vast fire, resulting from a moonshiner’s still exploding, burned through it in 1930. The fire continued to burn for 8 months through the peat layers, despite great effort to extinguish it. A previous fire in June 1782 burned 3,000 acres and threatened to burn down homes–it was said that the light from the fire could be seen 70 miles away.
Because it is located in the Great Cypress Swamp, it is often referred to as a cypress tree. However, biologist Dr. Carol A. Pollio noted that it was, in fact, a large gnarled chestnut oak with many twisted branches with a very off putting silhouette.
Historically it appears to have been a witness tree. Witness trees were once used to mark property when the site was not suitable for a traditional marker and a large tree was within 10 chains (660 feet) of the point to be marked. In this case, the surrounding forest is much younger and contains a wider variety of species than the original forest would have had. Because of these younger trees, the Witch’s Tree really is notable. It is larger, taller, and more gnarled that any others in that area.
The legend says that women who were thought to be witches were hanged from the tree. Many have claimed to hear crying near the tree and a woman screaming. Those who visit the tree report feelings such as chills down their spine, eerie lights and orbs and strange sounds. Some say the hauntings are attributed to a witch that used to live nearby. Locals have reported mysterious brightly colored orbs by the tree.
Almost everyone who has ever walked up to the tree has experienced something strange. Locals will warn you not to go out there alone, as it’s a known spot for vehicles to break down and many claim there is no cellphone signal to be found.
Unfortunately, today the infamous Witche’s Tree is gone. Around 2015 it had been taken down by a storm likely attributed to its own unhealthy condition and all that remains of this beautiful piece of paranormal history is a stump that someone also desecrated with graffiti.
openlibrary.org is a phenomenal resource for books, some of which can be downloaded. April showers bring May flowers but what do those flowers say? If you are interested in downloading this book, click here.
While not magical, I am a huge fan of history and the strange and the world is a strange place where we often come across things that have absolutely no logic. One of these is a banyan tree in Pakistan, fettered in chains. Not only is it one of the most absurd things to see, but the story behind it is also just as ridiculous. Pakistan’s Landi Kotal army cantonment area is home to a huge banyan tree that is kept chained to prevent it from moving. The tree is shackled with chains, extending from its myriad branches to the ground. The tree was arrested in 1898, 122 years ago, when the offended Victorian British officer, James Squid, became heavily drunk and felt that the multi-limbed banyan tree was somehow lurching toward him. The officer became scared and due to the alcohol, decided to teach a lesson to the criminal tree. He ordered his mess officer to arrest and take the tree into custody. The tree was chained to stop it from approaching Officer Squid and has remained chained even today. Ever since then, no officer has been able to overturn the order and the tree continues to bear the weight of the oppressive colonial period after 122 years.
For many, the chained tree in Landi Kotal, a town near the Torkhan border, is a symbol of the draconian Frontier Crime Regulation — a black law that governed the seven tribal agencies and six Frontier Regions during the British Raj. Under the regulations, an officer could order the arrest of any tribesman for any reason, and the person had no right to appeal. Many in Khyber see this act of the British officer as a manifestation of a dictatorial mindset that has nothing to do with any rules, regulations or law. Historian Mubarak Ali said that trees enjoy special importance in all religions and to target a tree in such a way is to send a clear message.
According to some locals, through this act, the British signaled the tribal people that they would meet a similar fate if they went against the government. This chained, century-old tree in Pakistan is a perfect metaphor for colonialism. Whatever the reason may be, the tree in captivity has made the area popular among people who come to have a look at one of the most random acts ever.
Picture from Facebook
Despite the fact that Pakistan gained its independence from British colonial rule in 1947, a board on the tree still reads: “I am under arrest. One evening a British officer heavily drunk thought that I was moving from my original location and ordered mess sergeant to arrest me since then I am under arrest.”
Just imagine if a British officer could put a tree in chain then how were treating the locals of that era? So there it stands — rooted to its native soil, blameless yet punished, and fettered by bonds it still can’t shake. In the world of weird criminal charges, this Banyan tree’s arrest is definitely up there.
Despite the brown and barren look of the area, a large variety of medicinal plants can be found when you take the time to begin identifying what is growing around you
Wildcrafting is gathering herbs and plants from their most natural environment – the wild. This is an old-age practice. There are so many health benefits when you choose to wildcraft. All the plants that are gathered are natural and free of toxins or man-made smog. Look for an area that has an abundance of the plant you want to harvest. Make sure the plants look healthy that you plan to harvest. Never take more than the forest or field can replenish in a reasonable amount of time, and never more than you can use. Powerlines, human traffic, ground contamination such as a farmer’s field that uses pesticides or herbicides, or poor soil are all places you should avoid as this can affect the quality and health of the plant being collected. Wildcrafting is a great way to benefit from herbal medicine without breaking the bank. There’s a wide variety of healing medicinal herbs and every season offers something different to harvest.
When wildcrafting, there are a number of things to account for. If you are harvesting on your own land there will be no legal issues but if you are harvesting on someone else’s land be sure you have permission from the private land owner or if on publicly owned land make sure you know the state or federal laws and abide by them. Wherever you are harvesting, respect for the environment is important. Many national and State parks have signs that say no removal of natural vegetation from the land and that should be honored. It is there for a reason.
As herbalists we want to preserve but also manage the environment. The act of our harvesting changes the environment so it is best if we do this in a well thought out manner. Wildcrafting is done with carefulness and sustainability in mind. For a large majority of the time only the fruit, leaves, or seeds are taken from the plants. The actual stem is still living and healthy. Wildcrafting promotes the idea that you should leave the environment looking better than how you found it. When people do end up taking the entire plant, you should replant a certain ratio of seeds for every stem they strip. Therefore, the harvested area gets replenished and eventually restored. Wildcrafters usually only take what they need or will use in the foreseeable future. Being thoughtful about what you take from the planet and put back is very important.
Helpful tools when wildcrafting:
Field guide
camera
Clippers
Pruning shears or scissors
Knife
Shovel
trowel
Handsaw
Vegetable brush to clean roots and minimize dirt
Silken paintbrush for mushrooms to avoid damaging them
Flower press
Collecting containers such as baskets, cloth bags, or paper bags (do not store herbs in plastic if you can help it as they can decompose quickly in the sun)
Snacks and water
A notebook or sketchbook
What to wear when wildcrafting:
The type of habitat and the weather will impact your clothing choice. Something to think about will be the density of vegetation, and the possibility of muddy ground. It’s a good idea to wear long pants if you’re going into the forest or tall grasses. Sturdy shoes to walk over rugged terrain and clothing or a utility belt with pockets for your tools can be very helpful.
Wildcrafting throughout the year:
It is important to harvest plant parts in the proper season. As the plants experience the cycle of seasons, different parts of them hold the most nutrients and medicine, and different parts will be available at different times. By harvesting each part in the best season, you’ll get the best yield and most potent medicine for your efforts. The best time to harvest is on a sunny morning right after the dew has dried. You don’t want to harvest wet plants on damp days, or in hot sun because the plants will wilt too quickly.
• Autumn: roots, seeds, bark • Winter: roots • Spring: In spring, before the flowers have blossomed, the leaves are at their most tender, clean and relatively untouched by bugs. After flowers appear, the leaves can become tough and tasteless or bitter. Harvest leaves before they fade in color, wither, or get eaten by insects. • Summer: leaves, blossoms (as they open), fruit (at peak ripeness)
Flowers
If you’re after flowers, then obviously you also have a specific window for each flower in which to harvest. Pick buds just before they open, or flowers that have just opened and before the start to wilt. Some flowers start appearing in early spring and some species are still blooming in late fall, but most varieties appear in summer.
Make sure the flowers are dry. Harvest after the dew is gone.
Don’t harvest more than 10% of the flowers in that area as you are removing their ability to make seed and create future generations.
Seeds
Harvest at maturity. Collect seeds when they are ripe. Leave seeds on the plant to sun-ripen as long as possible, but harvest just before the wind distributes them.
Dry seed only. You can tell when they’re ready by the little stem that attaches the seed parts to the rest of the plant. If the stem is dry, the seeds are ready. Yellowed leaves can also be an indicator of ripe seeds.
Don’t harvest more than 10% of the seeds in that area as you are removing their ability to generate more plants.
Spread the seed – In some cases spreading the seed around will help the plant. If you know how the seed naturally spreads and best grows, you can do a better job of it.
Collect and grow your own seed for next time.
Collect them by putting a paper bag over the plant and cutting the stem. Always leave the majority of seeds there for the plant to return next year.
Aerial leafy parts
Harvest early morning in bud or flower stage but, this can vary. You need to know what is best for that specific plant.
Dry plant material only. Harvest before the flowers bloom as this affects the taste of the leaves afterwards.
Be careful not to harvest too much of any one plant in an area.
Bark
Harvest bark in spring or fall, ideally from recently fallen branches, not from the main trunk.
Take bark from small limbs
If a tree or shrub needs pruning in the fall or spring, this is a great time to harvest the bark
Don’t take bark off the trunk unless the tree is destined to be destroyed anyway. If bark is collected from the trunk of a tree, there is a risk damaging the tree irreparably; and if collected from around the tree trunk in a complete ring, the tree will die.
It is best to harvest bark in the spring and fall when the sap is flowing
Harvest the inner bark. This is the medicinally active part. Often when collecting the bark, you will get both the outer and inner bark together and if the outer bark is not thick it is OK to use it that way in most instances. When getting bark from small limbs the outer bark is not very thick and really too hard to remove anyway. It is easier to work with fresh bark, remove the outer bark from the desirable inner bark while still fresh and pliable. You will also need to remove the bark from the core or heartwood of the limb. I often use a hammer or rock to remove fresh bark. It will usually fall right off fairly easily. If it dries I usually have to use a knife and it becomes much harder to accomplish.
Don’t remove more than 10% of the limbs at the very most on any one tree.
Roots
Roots are best harvested as late as possible, before the first frost. This is when the energy of the plant subsides into the ground, preparing for winter, but after the first frost, they’re sometimes damaged and spongy.
Biennials last only two years usually and you can harvest their roots from the fall of the first year until they start to send out spring shoots in the second year.
Perennials live three or more years. You can harvest their roots from the fall through winter, until they start to send out spring shoots.
Good for us & the plant to harvest in the Winter. Our harvesting the root in the fall-spring gives us better potency in our herb. It is additionally healthy for the plant to harvest the roots then as it is able to set seed in the summer and spread that seed prior to our harvesting the roots.
Thinning is a key idea here with perennials. Thin out thicker areas and leave the plants alone in areas of scarcity. With some plants, you can take part of the lower root and replant the top part of the root. What I notice however, is that plant is never as healthy as the ones that grow without part of their roots removed. The root left grows strangely.
When digging up a root, remember to fill the hole back up with earth.
Fruits
Generally collected whole
Collect when fully ripe
Since bugs tend to like fruit, some fruits are better collected after the first frost to kill bug eggs.
Keep good records of your wildcrafting:
One thing you’ll want to do now that will make your foraging easier in the future is to keep a good record of when you saw which plants, so you’ll be able to predict the perfect time to harvest each plant for next season. Each season when the first of each plant pops up, jot it down and next year you’ll be glad you did.
Make sure you’re positive of the plant’s identity. When in doubt, leave it. For an introduction to some useful plants, it’s a great idea, and a lot of fun to take a class with a local expert. Many botanical gardens, zoos, and Facebook event pages have classes like these at very reasonable cost. Some are even free with admission! These classes immerse you in nature and give you firsthand experience in identifying and using local medicinal plants and even some more exotic plants you may encounter.
When you’re encountering a new plant, it can tell you a lot about itself if you take the time to get to know it. The smell, texture and color can sometimes give you clues as to what the plant’s uses are, and often a contemplative taste will also let you intuit what the plant does medicinally.
Be a steward of the ecosystem and avoid overharvesting
The most important thing is to gather with mindfulness for the continued abundance of the plant and its ecosystem. Never harvest rare and endangered plants. Always leave enough plants that they will replenish. Leave flowers for the bees, seeds and berries for the wildlife, and for the plant to continue to thrive. Don’t overharvest roots. Make sure to cover any remaining roots you have disturbed with soil. Only pick what you can process.
Over-harvesting can decimate a plant population in a given area, and depending on what you’re harvesting, you can also disrupt wildlife that depends on that plant, so you want to be mindful that you’re leaving enough for the forest, the birds & the bees. A general rule of thumb is to harvest less than 10% of the population in a given area, especially if you are harvesting roots.
If a plant is rare in your area, don’t harvest or disturb it. Many medicinal plants are at risk, so it’s good to check which ones are at risk in your area. United Plant Savers has a list that you can consult.
One of the oldest professions in the civilized world is the collection and preparation of wild plants for use as drugs, special foods, or home remedies. Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting plants from their natural habitat for the use of food or medicine. Ancient as this skill is, however, it’s far from outdated. Herbalism is trending and it’s easy to understand why. Plants are beautiful. They are powerful healers. Wildcrafted herbs can be used in a variety of medicines like tinctures, herbal salves, and infusions, and when done mindfully, you can reap the benefits of wild herbal medicines without disturbing the ecosystem.
Interacting with them feeds us-body/mind/spirit. So it’s no wonder that more and more folks are turning towards herbal medicine and learning the art and science of herbalism, have decided to make the switch from modified, mass-produced plants to an organic alternative. Wild plants are more potent and nutrient-dense than their monoculture counterparts because they come from richer terrain, often in relatively undisturbed meadows and forests. Commercial farms often have depleted soil, or only feed the plants with isolated nutrients.
Many people today have decided to take a proactive approach to their health and not a reactive approach. Wildcrafted herbs for food and medicine can support your efforts to eat more nutrient dense foods, reduce dependence on imported foods and expensive medicines, and keep yourself healthy with natural tonics and remedies. For any budding herbalist, the most exciting thing is wildcrafting herbs.
These organic spices, herbs and botanicals can be used for medicinal remedies, culinary seasonings, or even skincare. There are a TON of ways to use plants for food, medicine, cleaning, crafts, and more. The gathering of herbs was just a part of life and had been for thousands of years before that. It’s staggering to think about how much earth-connection we’ve lost in such a short time but wildcrafting can add much to your life when done correctly.
Desert broom that I found at the base of a mountain in Arizona
It is so gratifying and empowering to collect herbs in the garden, field, or woodland area and then lovingly dry them for tea or make them into an herbal elixir, tincture, salve or other healing medicine. These simple skills can be available to anyone willing to take the time to learn. And just how many useful plants are out there? Thousands depending on your area! Once you learn to identify some useful plants, you will see they are everywhere. Many useful plants are so prolific they are also known as weeds.
If you are interested in wildcrafting of your own, the first, and most important step, is going to be learning to identify the plants you hunt and collect. Wildcrafting requires a ton of knowledge and understanding especially if you plan to use them for consumption. Proper identification is important as many plants can look very similar. You do not want to collect the wrong plant and accidently ingest something that turns out to be toxic or poisonous. Before you harvest a large number of plants, you’d probably do well to cut and dry two or three samples of the species you intend to collect so that you can be sure of the accuracy of your plant as well as see if it is a plant you can comfortably preserve and use. There are many classes, books, and even apps that can help you identify plant species and their common uses.
If we’re going to harvest wild plants we should do so in a way that proliferates their population- rather than depleting it- known as wildtending. Wildtending includes a variety of practices, and may mean that some years we don’t harvest from a particular patch or population because of drought, disease or pest pressure, or any other situation that might threaten a plant’s population. It also means learning the “At-Risk” and “To-Watch” lists of plants from United Plant Savers, and paying attention to threatened plants and ecosystems locally.
This means leaving an area in better shape than we found it, removing trash and litter, or collecting seeds in the fall and spreading them around the site. It looks like moving like an herbivore does across the landscape when we harvest, taking a little here and a little there, so that you can barely even tell the area has been harvested from, leaving enough for the animals, pollinators, germinating seedlings, and so on. It involves deep observation and becoming a citizen scientist and understanding- intimately- the reproductive cycle of each plant we harvest so we can help it proliferate.
The guidelines for honorably harvesting by professional herbalist, Robin Wall Kimmerer:
Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you may take care of them.
Introduce yourself. Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life.
Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer.
Never take the first. Never take the last.
Take only what is given.
Never take more than half. Leave some for others.
Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.
Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken.
Share.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.
Part 2 explores what can be crafted and how and can be found HERE
Mint is the general name for an herb popularly known for its menthol cooling properties. Two of the 13-18 types of mint are peppermint and spearmint. Mint comes from the Mentha genus. Peppermint is scientifically known as Mentha piperita, while spearmint is scientifically known as Mentha spicata. The main differences between peppermint and spearmint are in their menthol composition, the characteristics of their leaves and their specific uses.
Mint is an herb, mostly known for its menthol and medicinal properties. It is scientifically known as Mentha. There are more than a dozen species of this plant. The many benefits associated to the intake of mint include proper digestion, relief from nausea, and treatment of asthma and skin care problems. Mint is also well known for its hygienic benefits. Peppermint is a type of mint, scientifically known as Mentha piperita. It is a cross breed of water mint and spearmint. This herb is popular for its health and medicinal uses as it can treat indigestion, the common cold, and calm inflammations. Spearmint leaves. Spearmint is a type of mint, scientifically known as Mentha spicata. This specific herb is known for its characteristic aroma that makes it a favored ingredient in culinary recipes as well as in cocktail drinks.
From here on, it will be specified if something applies to 1, the other, or all 3.
Mint
Mint is an incredible herb with a long history of medicinal and metaphysical benefits. Mint works as an antispasmodic and is very useful for stomach upset, abdominal pain, IBS, menstrual cramps, and heartburn/ acid reflux/ GERD. Mint works well as an appetite stimulant and helps with digestion, to ease indigestion, and calm nausea. Mint stimulates bile acid production in the liver and its secretion into bile. Because mint is so powerful for the organs of the abdomen and acts as a stimulant, it is also a great remedy for mild GI issues, diarrhea, and constipation. Antioxidants in mint include vitamin C and the phytonutrient pentyl alcohol, which has been shown to prevent cancer growth.
Mint opens airways and sinuses. It is a great herb for asthma and respiratory discomforts. While its uses seem concentrated in the trunk of the body, it also works throughout the rest of the body as well. Mint is wonderful for relieving joint pain and many aspects of the head. Mint works well with lavender for headache and migraine relief while chewing a mint leaf can even ease hiccups.
Witch Tip: To relieve a tension headache, apply a compress of mint leaves to your forehead. Rubbing the oil on your temples will relieve your headache.
Witch Tip: Wild mint makes a very soothing tea for dry throats. Native American Pow-wow singers were said to use this tea a great deal.
Mint is very beneficial to ease congestion during colds and flu, as well as improving circulation which will help the healing process. Much like tea tree, mint is excellent for improving dry scalps and dealing with dandruff. Mint also makes an refreshing facial cleanser.
Witch Tip: To remove dark eye circles, chop and crush a sprig of mint leaves. Apply the mashed leaves to dark under eye circles. Leave this on for 20 minutes and then rinse. Do this twice a week.
Witch Tip: Freeze mint in ice cubes for a refreshing summer drink.
Mint is an excellent addition to food magic and can be incorporated any number of ways. Mint can be used as a talisman or charm. Mint works well as a hex breaker and draws positive spirits when placed on your altar. Place mint in your home for protection, as well as in spells for, fertility, peace, healing, happiness, and vitality.
Witch Tip: Place mint leaves in your shoes for protection against curses.
Mint can be used to draw abundance, especially in attracting business, clear sight, increasing wealth, as well as for luck, communication skills, and travel. It helps you grow vitally and enhances knowledge. Because mint grows so wild in gardens, it is said it can be used to help convince someone to agree with you. Your ideas grow and take over their mind. Burn mint to increase sexual desire, exorcise evil supernatural entities, conjure beneficial spirits, and attract money. Mint pairs well with eggplant, tomatoes, lamb, green peas, melon, couscous, hot and cold beverages.
Peppermint
Peppermint contains menthol, a natural plant compound that relaxes pain inducing intestinal spasms. This reduces belly discomfort by 40% according to German researchers. Cooling peppermint essential oils are excellent for respiratory issues, digestive discomfort, nausea, pain, headaches, combats feverish colds and chills, acid reflux, and to flavor food. The refreshing properties of peppermint even freshens bad breath. This familiar garden herb is an effective remedy for travel sickness. Its pungent peppery leaves have volatile oils to balance gastrointestinal activity and calm the stomach.
Witch Tip: Create a dry inhalation for travel sickness on a journey by adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil to a handkerchief. Drink a cup of peppermint tea or chew on a fresh leaf to calm your stomach and improve your stale morning after breath.
Peppermint tea works as a decongestant, anti-inflammatory, and helps to suppress the appetite. It also can help stop itching when the oil is used topically. Peppermint is a very cooling oil that helps to gently stimulate the Root Chakra.
Witch Tip: For allergies and congestion, blend lemon, lavender, and peppermint essential oils in a roll on bottle and apply topically to the bottoms of feet and/or sinus areas every morning or take internally (2 drops each in a shot glass of water).
Spearmint aromatherapy is great for relaxation while peppermint relieves cold and flu symptoms. Peppermint is still beneficial for helping to induce peaceful sleep, however. Peppermint brings healing and peaceful sleep. Smell peppermint before bed to help you achieve a more restful sleep.
Use peppermint for cleansing, purification, consecration, bringing about change, and wishes. It attracts positive energies, abundance, and money. Peppermint is one of the main ingredients in green salt. Peppermint can be used for protection, to bring good luck, positive and thinking. Peppermint can be used in spells for love, lust, passion, psychic awareness, and stimulating energy.
Peppermint can also be used in exorcisms, as well as healing any situation either physical or spiritual, and enhancing psychic powers. Peppermint is also very practical in eliminating pests in and around the home.
Witch Tip: Mix 2 ½ Tsp peppermint essential oil with 1 cup of grain alcohol like vodka in an empty spray bottle. Mist throughout the home to repel spiders and ants.
Witch Tip: If you can’t burn sage or incense, use peppermint or spearmint essential oil mixed with some water in a spray bottle and spritz to cleanse your room or sacred place.
Use peppermint in spells for release, renewal, rest, and sleep. It can be used during divination and as a spirit offering.
Mints are sacred to the god Hades, because (as happened with Daphne and Apollo) a young lovely named Minthe was transformed into a mint to keep her from Hades’ embrace. Peppermint is also sometimes attributed to Zeus. Pair peppermint with topaz or chalcedony for best effects.
Peppermint should be avoided during pregnancy.
Spearmint
Spearmint aromatherapy is great for relaxation while peppermint relieves cold and flu symptoms. Use spearmint essential oils for bronchitis, depression, indigestion, cold and flu, and wounds.
Use spearmint for healing, love, sleep protection, wishes, and vitality. Spearmint is also useful for abundance and drawing money, happiness, and prosperity into your life.
Witch Tip: Easy house magic for spring. Wash down your front door with warm water and a little essential oil of peppermint or spearmint to refresh the vibe and welcome in luck, wealth, and abundance. If you don’t have essential oils, tea works just as well.
Not only will spearmint refresh the vibrations of your home, it will also help to repel any unwanted guests of the creepy crawly variety.
Witch Tip: Mix 2 ½ Tsp spearmint essential oil with 1 cup of grain alcohol like vodka in an empty spray bottle. Mist throughout the home to repel ants, flies, lice, boxelder bugs, mosquitos, moths, and spiders.
Witch Tip: If you can’t burn sage or incense, use peppermint or spearmint essential oil mixed with some water in a spray bottle and spritz to cleanse your room or sacred place.
Putting spearmint under a pillow was believed to protect the sleeper from nightmares or from real harm. It is excellent for consecration, good luck, exorcisms, release, renewal, rest, sleep, transformation, and as an offering to the spirits. This magical herb is also well known for its stimulating scent. It was thought that carrying spearmint is thought to sharpen the bearer’s mental powers.
Avoid all mint while pregnant
Use level: Easy
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
This was literally some of the best olive oil, both smell and taste, that I have ever had and I was able to make the infusion myself. This is a super easy recipe and really only takes about 5 minutes to do and then a few weeks to infuse. To begin with, olive oil is an extremely healthy oil. It is made by pressing whole olives and extracting the oils. Olives have been agriculturally grown since the 8th millennium BC and are used for everything from cooking to medicine to beauty. Grades of olive oil are defined by various standards around the world. These different standards around the world show slight differences in terms of the parameters used to define each grade but despite what country you are in, the grades are pretty similar. There are various grades of olive oil, each having distinct differences in terms of production method, quality and suitability for consumption. Olive oil is classified according to its acid content, measured as free oleic acid. This is where your different classifications, and thus cost ranges, come in. Extra virgin olive oil contains a maximum of 1% free oleic acid, virgin olive oil contains 2%, and ordinary olive oil contains 3.3%. Unrefined olive oils with more than 3.3% free oleic acid are considered “unfit for human consumption.”
Olive oil is considered one of the best edible oils with antioxidant properties and health benefits. It has high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, which reduces the body’s total cholesterol levels, which may help lower your risk of heart disease. Using the correct type of olive oil for your needs is crucial. There are five primary grades of olive oil: extra virgin oil, virgin oil, refined oil, pure olive oil, and olive pomace oil. Another grade you may see is Lampe or Lampante. Each type of oil has a different smoke point, and this smoke point depends on the quality of the oil. The lower the smoke point of oil, the better the quality. An oil with a high smoke point is appropriate for cooking or other uses. Using oils with high smoke points for salads and dressing is not advisable.
The reason I begin with this is because selecting the correct oil for your infusion is very important. Extra virgin is the best quality olive oil. It undergoes cold processing, which prevents the natural content from altering after exposure to high temperatures. As a result, it has a low acid content, even lower than virgin oil. Virgin olive oil, on the other hand, is an unrefined form of olive oil extracted using the cold-pressing technique. It has a slightly higher level of acidity content but is temperature resistant. In comparison to extra virgin oil, the taste is milder and is suitable for low heat cooking. It is also ideal for salad dressing. Pure Olive oil is created by mixing either extra virgin or virgin oil with the refined one. It is rich in Vitamin E and is used only for heat and cooking or body massages and therapies. This is a great carrier oil for when you are making massage oils, roll on aromatherapy oils, or even lotions.
Refined is considered a moderate quality oil. Refined olive oil primarily comes into use for cooking only. Now, olive pomace oil is the lowest quality olive oil available in the market. Pomace comes from the residues and the remains left after the fruit’s pressing is completed. Once the actual fruits are pressed, there is still oil and water left. Finally, is Lampante olive oil. Lampante olive oil is also a naturally obtained oil, however, it’s quality parameters render it unfit for human consumption without further processing. It has traditionally been the olive oil of worse quality due to it having the highest level of acidity, and an unpleasant small and flavor that prevents consumption. The traditional name of lampante comes from its historical use as a fuel in oil lamps.
Traditional oil lamp from the Mediterranean
Now that we understand a good quality olive oil is needed, on to the recipe! You will need a good quality extra virgin olive oil and a few cloves of garlic, more depending on how much you plan to make. I did this initially in a glass Tupperware dish but it came out so incredible that I will be buying it in a larger size and adding it directly into the packaging it came in. The Tupperware is better for pictures as typically, good quality extra virgin oil is stored in dark colored glass bottles or cans to keep sunlight from affecting it and deteriorating the quality. All you need to do is peel the cloves of garlic and add them to your container. That’s it! For mine, I put about 2 cups of olive oil in the Tupperware and then peeled 2 BULBS of garlic. Bulbs, not cloves. I love this stuff. After peeling, I added them to the olive oil and secured the lid. I left it to sit in my pantry for about 2 weeks.
The above picture was the end result. It was absolutely amazing. The smell was very robust and earthy. The olive oil had a little bit of a cloudiness due to the oils from the garlic being infused in it but that did not bother me in the least. The taste was phenomenal. I put it in a convenient olive oil jar for easy pouring after that and used the left over garlic in cooking. I made a 100 clove garlic and potato soup with it, and personally, I think the taste could not be beat because of the super softened and delightful cloves I used. I have received so many compliments when others come to my home and smell the olive oil as soon as I uncork it to use.
I got the bottle from Amazon and the grape portion of the bottle holds balsamic vinegar
Well it is that time of year again and it seems like everyone I know is sick or getting sick! That being said, I believe this post would be very beneficial as I am sure many of you are suffering from the same illness and symptoms. Previously, I did a post on the Top 10 Antibiotic and Immune Boosting Herbs, but I think now is a good time to give a condensed version of that information with a few updates. Below are the healing herbs, their benefits, and a few very excellent recipes so that you do not have to scroll through each post individually. Add them to foods, make teas or tisanes, or use the listed recipes to help improve the health and wellbeing of yourself and your family!
Echinacea: Shortens the length of colds, treats coughs, sore throats, improves immunity, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, natural pain killer, stabilizes the histamine producing cells and keeps white blood cells within the normal range
Ginseng: Immunity booster, improves bodily functions, has relaxing properties and eases pain and convulsions, natural analgesic, treats respiratory conditions and fevers, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, energizing
Witch Tip: How to make cough syrup. Just a few sips of this natural cough syrup will help to soothe a sore throat. The antibacterial properties of honey will help to fight off throat infections. To make a simple cough syrup: Pour 300ml of boiling water into a jug containing a sliced lemon and one tablespoon of organic honey. You may then choose to add other herbs that are good at knocking out colds.
Witch Tip: For colds/cough, take 1 tbsp honey in lukewarm water mixed with ¼ tsp cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. It is very helpful to cure most chronic coughs, colds, and clear the sinuses.
Habanero: Immune booster, therapeutically warming, antifungal, supports the immune system and helps it fight off sinusitis, colds, asthma, and the flu, and soothes the lining of the lungs
Horseradish: Builds immunity, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antioxidant , stimulates urine flow to help flush anything out, improves sinusitis and bronchitis issues, helps expel mucus from the upper respiratory system to prevent infection, clear lung problems, coughs, and asthma, increases the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream
Witch Tip: If your nursing baby has a stuffy nose and can’t nurse well, grate a little horseradish and hold it up to the baby as it tries to suckle. The fumes will quickly clear the nasal passages (and the baby will probably cry for a minute because they are so strong).
Witch Tip: Horseradish honey garlic tea~ 1 1-inch piece fresh horseradish, peeled and grated (1/4 cup) ¼ cup honey 2 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and coarsely chopped juice of 1 lemon Put 4 cups water on to boil. In a blender, combine the horseradish, honey, garlic and 2 Tbsp water. Process until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the blender. Scrape the puree into a bowl, and pour in the boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a teapot, and stir in the lemon juice. Drink hot, inhaling the steam deeply.
Garlic: Immune booster, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, and anti-fungal, anti-asthmatic, anti-spasmodic, bronchodilator, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, immunostimulant, urinary antiseptic, vasodilator, analgesic, antioxidant, disinfectant, lungs profit highly from garlic, treats respiratory health problems such as colds, flu, sore throat, strep throat, coughs, congestion, sinusitis, and bronchitis
Witch Tip: Fresh garlic mixed with honey is an excellent home remedy for colds, hoarseness, and inflammation of the throat. crush 1 oz. of fresh garlic cloves. Mix the garlic with 1 cup of honey. Let the mixture sit for 1 hour to infuse the honey with the garlic’s essential oils. Store in a cool, dark place. At The first sign of a cold, take 1-2 tsp. of the mixture. (Repeat every hour thereafter) This remedy is also effective for relieving severe chest congestion and painful coughing.
Ginger: Therapeutically warming, triggers the immune system and is great for any cold conditions associated with shivering, treats nausea and vomiting, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial
Witch Tip: To relieve respiratory conditions, drink ginger tea or
add 1 drop of essential oil to green tea twice daily.
Witch Tip: How to make a natural cough syrup. Just a few sips of this natural cough syrup will help to soothe a sore throat. The antibacterial properties of honey will help to fight off throat infections. To make a simple cough syrup: Pour 1 1/4 cup of boiling water into a jug containing a sliced lemon and one tablespoon of organic honey. You may then choose to add an herb that is good at knocking out colds. You can use:
Sage- chopped fresh sage helps
soothe an aching head.
Thyme- a spoonful of chopped fresh
thyme will fight infection.
Cool, strain, and take 1.5 tbsp 3 times a day.
Onion: contain powerful antiseptics that fight bacterial infection, analgesic, anti-inflammatory
Witch Tip: Onion Cough Syrup- Many babies are unable to take honey during the first year or two of their life so this is an excellent alternative. Honey may contain botulinum toxin while a sweetened honey syrup should not be dangerous at all. It works well for both children and adults and is often found to be more effective than over the counter cough medicines. This is an old folk remedy that calms coughs with minimal side effects. There are many different versions from all over the world including Europe, India, and North America.
Method 1: Soft cook onions, butter, brown sugar or honey, ginger, and a splash of vinegar on low. Once it becomes a syrup, take a teaspoon every hour or so. Method 2: Cut onions in half and cover with water. Bring them to a boil, then simmer the mixture low and slow with enough water just to cover for a couple of hours. The water will become syrupy. Sweeten with sugar or honey depending on age. Take a teaspoon every hour or so. Method 3: Slice an onion, sprinkle sugar over the cut edges, wait about 30 minutes until the juices begin to collect. Take a teaspoon every hour or so. Method 4: Slice an onion thin and simmer in sweetened water (either with sugar or honey) until it is soft for 45min to an hour. Take a teaspoon of the syrup every hour or so.
Witch Tip: A cup of oregano tea can be used to soothe stomach upset and coughs.
Turmeric: Immune boosting, a natural antibiotic, antibacterial, antiseptic, antioxidant, antispasmodic, astringent, analgesic, contains more than two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds — six of which block the enzyme that causes pain and inflammation
Lemon: MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Thyme: Calms coughs, MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Sage: MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Cinnamon: Therapeutically warming, MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Sorry about the break in posting! I was a little caught up in life but I am back in the game now! You can look forward to a few posts on Mabon in the coming week. My cousin specifically requested ginseng and so this post is for her!
Panax Ginseng
Gender: Male Element: Fire Planet: Saturn, Uranus Zodiac Sign: N/A Celtic Zodiac/ Date: N/A Lunar Month: N/A Tarot: N/A Rune: N/A Ogham: N/A Crystal: N/A Deities: N/A Associated Festival: N/A Chakras: Third Eye Birth Month: N/A Meaning: the wonder of the world Type: perennial herb, with a large, fleshy, very slow-growing root Grows in Zone: 3-9 depending on variety Plant for Bees?: No Natural pesticide?: No Poisonous/ Toxic: No
The word ginseng is said to mean ‘the wonder of the world.’ Ginseng is the most famous Chinese herb. It is the most widely recognized plant used in traditional medicine. Various forms of ginseng have been used in medicine for more than 7000 years. Several species grow around the world, and though some are preferred for specific benefits, all are considered to have similar properties as an effective general rejuvenator. The Greek meaning of Panax – All Healing. The Chinese named ginseng “ren shen”, or “man root,” for the human-like shape of its root.
It has a mucilaginous sweetness, approaching that of liquorish, accompanied by some degree of bitterness and a slight aromatic warmth, with little or no smell. The stem is simple and erect, about a foot high, bearing three leaves, each divided into five finely-toothed leaflets, and a single, terminal umbel, with a few small, yellowish flowers. The fruit is a cluster of bright red berries. Ginseng starts flowering in the fourth year, and the roots take 4-6 years to reach maturity.
The Chang Bai mountain range in Northern China— is said to be one of the best native growing regions of wild panax ginseng root
Ginseng is distinguished as Asiatic or Chinese ginseng. It is a native of Manchuria, Chinese Tartary, and other parts of eastern Asia, and is largely cultivated in China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. The plant also grows in rich woods throughout eastern and central North America.
Uncovered approximately 7,000 years ago in the mountainous of Manchurian China, Ginseng was probably first used as a food, however quickly garnered the attention of the traditional medicine community, for its restorative and healing powers. Species of Ginseng can also be found in the United States, Canada, Korea, Vietnam and the far east of Russia.
Ginseng is an adaptogen, or adaptogenic herb, meaning it has restorative and rejuvenating qualities and increases our immunity along with improving the function of bodily systems. China was the first country in the world to mention Ginseng in written text, described in the book Shen-Nung Pharmacopoeia, 196 AD.
Li Shizhen, a herbalist of 1596, described the use of ginseng as a “superior tonic” for patients displaying chronic illness and for patients who were experiencing convulsions, as Ginseng has confirmed muscle relaxant properties. The harvest and trade of American ginseng has been a booming business for centuries. Even today its dried roots can fetch as much as $600 a pound.
Long before North America was colonized, various Native American peoples used ginseng in medicine. Ojibwe Midewiwin, spiritual leaders skilled in medicine, used the root for digestive troubles and pain relief. Muscogee people used a poultice of the root to staunch bleeding and a tea to treat respiratory conditions and fevers. The Meskwaki people of the Great Lakes region have used it as both an aphrodisiac and as a panacea, a “universal remedy for children and adults.”
Native Americans used ginseng both as a digestive tonic and to soothe headaches, whereas Traditional Chinese Medicine used ginseng to boost energy and vitality, manage diabetes, and support sexual health.
According to Taoist legend, ginseng is the greatest source of chi the plant kingdom offers. Several varieties of the herb exist, each with its own unique qualities–some energize and heat, while others rejuvenate and cool–so, in effect, there is a type of ginseng for everyone. They traditionally believe it to be a source of earth chi, the crystallization of earth essence into the shape of man and a gift to mankind from the gods.
Although they are rare, roots that are over a century old are occasionally found in the Chang Bai Mountains of northeastern China, which is said to produce the best ginseng. The wild roots are tied with a string and then carefully unearthed in order to preserve the “ginseng spirit” within, which is said to spiritually serve those who consume the root.
Wild Manchurian ginseng: This form of ginseng is said to have the highest vibrational chi. It’s found in the Chang Bai Mountains, and its roots are strong–and costly because of their rarity. Historically, this type is the premier “chi tonic” of emperors and Taoist holy men and women. It is said to be a spiritually transformational herb that aids those who consume it to grow beyond their repeated mistakes.
Spirit ginseng: A semiwild variety of Manchurian ginseng, nurtured behind fences for 10 years. Because it is only partly wild, it has less chi, yet it is believed to have abundant spiritual qualities. Spirit ginseng seeds are also used to cultivate Shiu Chu (first pick) ginseng on lower-altitude farms. Shiu Chu ginseng. The highest-grade farm-cultivated type. It usually has a golden reddish color from being steamed with other, more invigorating, herbs. It has warm, chi-strengthening qualities and is the variety of choice for enhancing mental and creative energy.
Korean ginseng: There are several kinds, based on the age of the root and the method of processing before sale; the highest grade available is Korean Heaven Grade. Like Shiu Chu, it has a dark red color from being steamed with other herbs–in this case, heating herbs such as cinnamon bark and aconite, which enhance physical vitality and sexual vigor.
American ginseng: This type grows in northeastern American mountain regions and Canada, where it is also known as “pearl” ginseng due to its small, rounded shape. Though mostly cultivated, its wild roots are superior, though expensive. It’s also the only type of ginseng known to have cooling properties, so it is commonly used by people with warm constitutions.
Siberian ginseng: This is actually a distant relative of ginseng. It grows in Siberia, not surprisingly, as well as northeastern China. Although not a true ginseng, it is still an excellent chi and blood tonic; it enhances oxygenation of the blood, which increases stamina and alleviates altitude sickness, thus making it popular among climbers and other endurance athletes.
Widely considered a healing panacea in the ancient system of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the root of the ginseng plant has deeply rejuvenating, restorative and strengthening effects that work to elevate the health of all bodily systems: mind, body, spirit and beyond
The mythical emperor Shen-nung (‘the godlike farmer’) is known as the first person to use ginseng. This emperor was blessed with a transparent abdomen through which he could judge the healing properties for himself.
Today, many folks are turning to ginseng as a natural remedy to elevate energy, enhance memory, decrease inflammation, boost sexual function, and more. In fact, ginseng is among the most popular and best-selling natural remedies in the world because of its many health benefits.
Viewed more valuable than Gold by multiple Chinese Emperors, and a wonder of the nutritional world, Ginseng is a superior herb with astronomical health benefits. It is not uncommon for high prices to be paid for ginseng today around the world — a half-acre ginseng garden worth in the region of $100,000.
Perhaps the most spectacular health benefit of ginseng is its ability to extend the lifespan of those who take it regularly by generally reducing the incidence of disease in the body, known in the medical community as a reduction in all-cause mortality. In ancient China, Ginseng root was widely used as a longevity tonic by Daoists and emperors seeking immortality. Today, researchers are testing those historical claims by conducting some fascinating studies on humans. Perhaps the most notable of which is a Korean study started in 1985 with 6,282 subjects aged 55 and over. The group of participants was divided into four groups, male panax ginseng users, male non-ginseng users and the same split for females.
After 18 years of collecting mortality data, some interesting findings emerged. The results showed a significant reduction in all-cause mortality (death by all causes) among males, but not females. However, it wasn’t all bad news for women, as those who regularly used ginseng enjoyed a significant reduction in cancer-specific mortality, which is still quite an impressive health benefit.
Li Ching-Yuen
In Asia, a diet for which ginseng was considered to be essential for reaching a high age. Li Ching-Yuen or Li Ching-Yun was a Chinese herbalist, martial artist and tactical advisor, known for his supposed extreme longevity. He claimed to have been born in 1736, while disputed records suggest 1677, implying an age at death of 197 and 256 years, respectively when he passed in 1933. On a diet of only vegetables and herbs he survived for many years. Those herbs included goji berry, wild ginseng, he shoo wu, gotu kola, rice wine and lingzhi. He became teacher of martial arts at the age of 71 in the Chinese armies. It is believed that he has been married 23 times during his life and that he was a father to over 200 children.
According to a 1930 New York Times article, Wu Chung-chieh, a professor of the Chengdu University, discovered Imperial Chinese government records from 1827 congratulating Li Ching-Yuen on his 150th birthday, and further documents later congratulating him on his 200th birthday in 1877. In 1928, a New York Times correspondent wrote that many of the old men in Li’s neighborhood asserted that their grandfathers knew him when they were boys, and that he at that time was a grown man.
Until the 19th century, the Jesuits were the only Europeans in China. In 1713 the French Father Jartoux wrote about a plant that was called ‘orhota’ by the Tartars. This plant would possess wonderful powers. It happened to be Panax ginseng. This news reached another missionary, Joseph Lafifau. It occurred to him that the forest areas that were described as the habitat of the ginseng, were rather similar to the environment he was working in himself. He decided to look for Canadian ginseng, which he found in the forests near Montreal. The plant was known by the Iroquois Indians as ‘garentoquen’. It appeared to be the species of American ginseng.
It appeared that many Indian tribes had known the plant for ages and that it was part of their medicine. The Chippewa tribe called the plant shte-na-bi-o-dzhi-bih, what means man-root. The plant would work life-enhancing and analgesic. Because the root has the shape of a human, they took the part of the root that looked the same as the body part in pain.
Now ginseng is a protected herb in China and Russia: exporting ginseng seeds is banned in China, and harvesting wild ginseng is illegal in Russia. Natural white ginseng is often steam- processed to produce “red ginseng” with different, higher medicinal potency.
The older the root, the greater the concentration of ginsenosides, the active chemical compounds, thus the more potent the ginseng becomes. Ginseng roots can live longer than hundreds of years. To get the best ginseng, splurge for older, higher-quality roots.
Wild Korean ginseng root. Wild ginseng can be processed to be red or white ginseng.
Ginseng in an antiviral antioxidant immune booster. It has been shown to enhance mental performance when used in combination with Ginkgo Biloba. It can be used to reduce stress and anxiety and helps to combat low energy and fatigue. It is a stimulant that helps regulate blood pressure and is a blood normalizer. It strengthens the heart, immune system, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, spleen, and improves memory and mental clarity. Today, many people turn to ginseng to support healthy brain function, increase mental acuity, and enhance memory. Ginseng stimulates and supports cognitive function and concentration.
Ginseng benefits brain health, cognitive function, and memory. Although more research is needed, there is evidence that American ginseng root is a great brain food that could help your brain function at its best. Ginseng acts as a tonic for the nervous system and is a potent pick me up. You can buy ginseng tea or take it as a concentrated liquid. Avoid using other stimulants such as coffee while you are taking ginseng as these can overload your system.
Panax ginseng contains a number of different ginsenosides that have sometimes paradoxical effects, for example, some types of ginsenosides are stimulating while others are calming and can help those suffering from insomnia. While this may seem illogical, it’s actually one of the plant’s greatest benefits—that is, that it is intelligent, or rather adaptogenic, meaning that it works to bring the body into greater balance and harmony. Adaptogenic herbs, of which ginseng is one of the ultimate, have different effects depending on the baseline state of health in that moment. For example, if someone is stressed out and anxious, they will likely find ginseng to be centering and calming; whereas if they are depleted and fatigued, the plant will tend to have more uplifting and energizing properties.
However, where the benefits of ginseng on brain health really get interesting is when it comes to neuroprotection and preventing and reversing age-related cognitive decline. In a number of animal studies, it has been shown to protect and repair neurons in the brain and nervous system that control a number of important functions throughout the body.
But perhaps most impressively, panax ginseng has been shown to have significant positive effects on Alzheimer’s, in some cases measurably reversing the disease. One study done among people with Alzheimer’s disease at the Department of Neurology at the Clinical Research Institute in South Korea showed that taking ginseng root daily for 12 weeks improved mental performance significantly.
The majority of the most common modern health issues are directly related to chronic inflammation in the body. Chronic stress, poor dietary habits, and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to the chronic inflammation, considered the underlying cause of many health issues, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), autoimmunity, and even asthma.
While there are many foods with strong anti-inflammatory qualities (such as blueberries, cumin, and turmeric to name just a few), ginseng is among some of the most the potent and effective choices to keep your inflammation at bay.
Ginseng is also a powerful sexual tonic, increasing libido, performance and pleasure for both men and women. For men, ginseng’s benefits include boosting libido, increasing pleasure and treating erectile dysfunction, by increasing nitric oxide production similar to prescription medications like Viagra. Panax ginseng has similar benefits for women, most notably increasing libido, pleasure and sensation, also in part due to its oxygenating effects throughout the body.
Ginseng may be an ingredient to consider as a natural way to help lower blood sugar levels in those struggling with type 2 diabetes (or pre-diabetes). One study looked at a group of 19 participants with type 2 diabetes. Each participant received two grams of Korean red ginseng per meal (or six grams per day), or a placebo, for 12 weeks, in addition to their current anti-diabetic regiment. The results of the study show improved glycemic control (the delicate balance of insulin replacement with diet and exercise).
A meta-analysis evaluated the impact of ginseng consumption on cancer treatment and prevention. The analysis looked at nine studies, including five cohort studies, three case-control studies, and one randomized controlled trial. The results of the meta-analysis showed that consuming ginseng correlated to a decrease in the risk of (non–organ-specific) cancer. Ginseng is high in antioxidants and anti-cancer properties, making it a solid candidate for chemoprevention.
Perhaps of all ginseng’s many health benefits, increasing energy, endurance and strength is its most legendary. Ginseng has long been a favorite of Olympic athletes, endurance runners and people in high-performance capacities—from high-stress jobs to simply being a parent of one or more children. However, what is great about the kind of energy that ginseng gives is that it is organic in nature compared to stimulants like caffeine. Over time caffeine is depleting to the endocrine system and body because it simply stimulates it to work harder no matter what its current state.
Ginseng can be used in many ways. Try it raw, gently steamed, taken in a capsule, decoctions, infusions, tonics, made into a tea, or even finely chopped and added to a stir-fry. There are a ton of ginseng products out there to suit your tastes and preferences. Ginseng is a powerful and medicinal food and remedy that can benefit many aspects of your health. Enjoy ginseng benefits however you can to improve your overall quality of life!
Called the herb of immortality and strength, legend has it that these plants mysteriously rise from the ground at night, glowing, and flitting around the forest floor. The forked root of the plant also sometimes quite clearly resembles that of a human figure, giving rise to the aphrodisiac qualities associated with it. In fact, the most valuable roots of all are the few found with an appendage between the forked “legs” of the figure.
No surprise, then, that Ginseng is highly regarded as a stimulant and general tonic that promotes sexual potency, love, lust, beauty, vitality, and long life. In modern magic, Ginseng root is carried to attract love, ensure sexual potency, enhance beauty, draw money, and promote general good health and vitality. It is also associated with protection, fulfillment of wishes, and spirituality. To attract love, fill a red or pink flannel bag with a lock of your own hair, a heart-shaped piece of sun-dried lemon peel, and a piece of dried Ginseng root. Consecrate and charge it, then wear it on a gold chain around your neck.
Witch Tip: Drunk as a tea, Ginseng is believed to be a powerful lust-provoking aphrodisiac. Steep a slice of ginseng root or 3 tsp of powdered ginseng for at least 5 minutes. Flavor to taste with sugar, honey, cinnamon, or mint.
There are only a handful of herbs revered for their ability to activate Chi or Qi energy in the human body — and Ginseng holds that position. Chi/Qi translates as Life Force. Our life force can easily become depleted due to electromagnetic fields of energy which disrupt our natural field of energy, pollution, toxins, chemicals, processed foods, too much meat, intoxicants, excessive sexual energy, among many other energy disruptors.
When we consume good quality Ginseng, we enable an enhancement of our life force, a boost to our system. With a little more Chi running through our veins and aura, our physical and mental-emotional well-being moves into balance, restoring any disharmony. Ginsengs restorative and activating powers work to create a synergistic relationship between body, mind and spirit. A highly important factor to consider when working to activate our pineal gland is our mental-emotional and energetic stability. We may become overwhelmed with a flood of clearer perception and heightened senses. Ginseng has been used to calm anxiety and maintain energetic equilibrium, a perfect accompaniment to the Third Eye Awakening process.
Burning Ginseng root or powder as an incense is believed to protect and ward off evil, break hexes or curses, repel negative spirits, and provide visualization fulfillment. Ginseng can be used to send back specifically sent harmful intent and negativity.
To get the most out of ginseng, use for a period of two or three weeks at a time. After that, take a break or it becomes ineffective. The literature mentions doses between 1 – 6 grams a day. Excessive use can lead to headaches, sleeplessness, tensed muscles and retained fluids. It is recommendable to take a break after using ginseng for 4 weeks in a row. The body will get used to the regular intake; to keep your dosages effective it is necessary to stop using ginseng for a while.
Use level: Easy
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
Interested in a topic of your own? Just ask here and I will be glad to post it!
Tea is traditionally classified based on the techniques from which it is produced and processed. There is white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, and post fermented tea among others such as herbal blend.
White: Wilted and unoxidized Yellow: Unwilted and unoxidized, but allowed to yellow Green: unwilted and unoxidized Oolong: wilted, bruised, and partially oxidized Black: wilted, sometimes crushed, and fully oxidized Post-fermented: green tea that has been allowed to ferment/ compost
Witch Tip: The amount of loose leaf tea necessary for brewing varies from tea to tea. Shoot for 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of leaves per 8 ounces of water unless otherwise directed. Some loose leaf tea can even be re-steeped to make multiple cups of tea. Typically, green and black teas re-steep the best.
Witch Tip: Black teas should be steeped in boiling water, while green, white, and oolong need it a bit cooler. Boiling water can actually burn green tea. You can boil the water, and then let it sit a few minutes before pouring over the tea leaves.
Witch Tip: Milk proteins bind with the polyphenols (antioxidants) in tea, meaning even just a little splash can reduce the amount of active antioxidants in that cup.
Witch Tip: Adding lemon increases tea’s antioxidant potential. The vitamin C in any citrus juice, like lemon, orange, or grapefruit, can help our bodies better absorb antioxidants we consume in food or drink.
Witch Tip: If you are steeping a blend, follow the time and temperature of the most delicate tea in your mix.
While there are all sorts of guidelines for tea making, it’s really all about preference. Make each cup to your liking by drinking it black, adding sweetener, pouring it over ice, or even spiking it with vodka. Adding milk may reduce the number of benefits you can reap from tea’s antioxidants, but if adding milk makes your cup of tea more enjoyable, go for it.
White Tea Examples: Pai Mu Tan/ Bai Mu Dan (White Peony), Yi Zhen Bai Hao (Silver Needle), Gongmei (Tribute Eyebrow), Shou Mei (Noble, Long Life Eyebrow) and Fujian New Craft (DaBaiCha or DaHoaCha) Health Benefits: Treats cold symptoms, reduces the risk of arthritis, beneficial for stress and wrinkles, antioxidants help fight colon cancer, stimulates liver function, aids in weight loss and detoxification Magical Benefits: Cleansing, protection Best Time to Drink: Anytime! Flavor: Light and subtle Caffeine: Yes: 32-37mg (1-2% of the amount in a cup of coffee) Steep Teabag for: 30-90 seconds Steep loose tea for: 4-5 minutes White tea contains more potent anticancer properties than processed teas. Studies show that white tea can thin the blood and improve artery function. It helps lower high blood pressure and maintain a healthy BP. Whole tea contains small amounts of fluoride and other nutrients which keeps the teeth strong and healthy. It also kills the bacteria which causes plaque, tooth decay, and bad breath. White tea helps strengthen the immune system and prevent bacterial infection.
Yellow Tea Examples: Jun Shan Yin Zhen (bud tea), Meng Ding Huang Ya (bud tea) and Huo Shan Huang Ya (small and large leaf tea) Caffeine: Yes Yellow tea is much rarer and undergoes a rolling and drying process which gives it its distinct color and taste.
Green Tea Examples: Sencha, gyuokuo, tencha, matcha, funmatsucha, konacho, shincha, fukamushicha, kukicha, bancha Magical Benefits: Energy, cleansing Best time to drink: Mid-morning Flavor: Clean, sweet, earthy Caffeine: Yes: 24-39mg Steep Teabag for: 1-2 minutes Steep Loose Tea for: 2-3 minutesGreen tea has some of the highest levels of antioxidants of all teas. It has been found to improve cholesterol levels, protect against heart disease, speeds metabolism to help lose weight, reduces plaque and bacteria in your mouth, prevent dementia, fight multiple types of cancer, and is full of antioxidants. Antioxidants can lower risk of breast, bladder, stomach, and colon cancers. Antioxidants interfere with growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. It can prevent clogging of the arteries and improve cholesterol. Green tea can also reduce risk of stroke as well as reduce risk of neurological disorders. It protects against cognitive decline like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Green tea contains an amino acid known as L-theanine which may increase sleep efficiency and boost time spent in REM sleep cycles. Green tea is rich in health promoting flavonoids. 1 cup of green tea supplies 20-35mg of EGCG (pepper increases EGCG availability).
Oolong Tea Health Benefits: Increases metabolism and helps reduce body fat, alleviates skin conditions, increased brain function, helps with focus and meditation, boosts metabolism, promotes weight loss Magical Benefits: None Best time to drink: Before meals Flavor: Full bodies, sweet Caffeine: Yes: 29-53mg Steep Teabag for: 2-5 minutes Steep Loose Tea for: 5-7 minutes Oolong teas fall on a range between black and green tea and should follow the chart for the type they are closest to. It has been shown to help with weight loss in many studies by decreasing abdominal fat. Polyphenols in slimming tea are believed to increase energy expenditure translating to a 35%-43% increase in fat burning. It has been found to help keep blood sugar in check and can help lower cholesterol. It has been shown to help people with diabetes keep blood sugar levels in line. Drinking oolong tea 15minutes before eating carbs helps to reduce the insulin spike you would normally experience after eating carbs. Oolong tea promotes metabolism, healthy skin, and helps maintain healthy bones. A new study from the Department of Dentistry in Japan’s Osaka University shows the regular consumption of oolong strengthens teeth and helps prevent tooth decay by significantly inhibiting plaque buildup. Oolong naturally contains fluoride which can help lower the risk of cavities. Researchers from Japan’s Shiga University of Medical Science found that drinking oolong tea daily clears up skin within as few as 30 days of acne. It has been found to have anti-cancer properties and aid in stress management. Oolong tea significantly reduces free radicals in the body and helps slow down and even reverse signs of aging. Drinking this tea boosts mental alertness and increases energy. A recent study showed the increase energy expenditures after drinking green tea was only 4% where oolong tea had an increase of over 10%. Oolong tea helps you concentrate more and improves mood and productivity because of the presence of L-Theanine and a small amount of naturally occurring caffeine. Oolong tea contains the polyphenol EGCG which can help improve brain function and memory. Test subjects who consumed oolong were found to have stronger immune systems and significantly lower risk for infections such as the common cold. Oolong tea can help decrease inflammation in the body. This lowers the risk of many diseases.
Black Tea Examples: Darjeeling, Ceylon, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Masala Chai Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, yellow, white and green teas. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor than other teas. While green tea usually loses its flavor within a year, black tea retains its flavor for several years. For this reason, it has long been an article of trade, and compressed bricks of black tea even served as a form of de facto currency in Mongolia, Tibet and Siberia into the 19th century. Health Benefits: Improved energy and focus, freshens breath, protects skin from UV rays, an antioxidant boost, lowers blood pressure and the risk of diabetes and kidney stones, helps reduce anxiety and headaches, as well as aiding in weight loss, Magical Benefits: Repels negativity, strength Best time to drink: morning (high in caffeine), Afternoon Flavor: strong, sometimes bitter Caffeine: Yes: 64-112mg Steep Teabag for: 1-2 minutes Steep Loose Tea for: 3-4 minutes Black tea contains more caffeine than any other type of tea which is still half the caffeine of a standard cup of coffee (95-200mg). Black tea can help to improve cardiovascular health. Black tea has been found to protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. Black tea Contains theophylline which increases blood flow in the capillaries and helps the body maintain a normal blood pressure which can reduce the risk of stroke. This tea can also expand the airways, making breathing easier for asthmatics
Herbal Tea Examples: Chamomile, lavender, peppermint, hibiscus, rose, Health Benefits: Different herbal teas have varying health benefits such as reducing stress and aiding in weight loss Magical Benefits: Depends on the herb Best time to drink: Anytime (no caffeine) Flavor: Different herbal teas have different flavors. The flavor will depend on the herbs and spices used in the blend. Caffeine: No Steep Teabag for: 4-7 minutes Steep Loose Tea for: 4-7 minutes Herbal teas are generally made from dried fruits, herbs, or flowers
Legend has it that in 2737B.C. tea was discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong. He had been sitting beneath a tree waiting for his water to boil when tea leaves fell into his pot. In 59B.C. Wang Bao wrote the first known book with instructions on buying and preparing tea. Famed physician and surgeon Hua Tuo wrote Shin Lun in 22C.E. in which he describes tea’s ability to improve mental functions.
From 400-600C.E. the demand for tea rose steadily. Rather than harvest leaves from wild trees, farmers began to develop ways to cultivate tea and in 479, Turkish traders bartered for tea on the Mongolian border.
From 589-618C.E. during the Sui Dynasty, tea was introduced to Japan by Buddhist monks. Around this time, from about 618-906C.E. during the Tang Dynasty, powdered tea was produced; Caravans carried tea on the Silk Road, trading with India, Turkey, and Russia.
Poet Lu Yu is regarded in China as the tea saint. He was born around 733 and was abandoned by his parents at a temple when he was about 3 years old. The monks adopted him and taught him to make and appreciate tea. They wanted him to become a Buddhist monk, but he rebelled and ran away at the age of 12. He traveled eastern China to study tea and eventually settled in Hu Zhou, where he found his favorite tea, Purple Bamboo Shoot. He spent a couple of decades writing the first tea book in history, Cha Jing, and in it he explained how to grow and process tea, and how to prepare and drink it.
Lu Yu’s book had tremendous impact on the tea industry, both by teaching producers to make better tea and by introducing tea to the common people. He wrote the first book of tea in 780C., making him a living saint, patronized by the Emperor himself. The book described methods of cultivation and preparation. By 1200-1300C.E. during the Yuan Dynasty, tea became an ordinary drink enjoyed by all, never regaining the high status it once enjoyed in China. Marco Polo was not even introduced to tea when he visited.
During the 1400s, the Japanese tea ceremony was created by a Zen priest named Murata Shuko, who had devoted his life to tea. The ceremony is called Cha No Yu, which means hot water for tea.
Tea had arrived in Europe by the 17th century via Dutch and Portuguese sailors, trading dried sage in exchange. The first tea samples reached England between 1552 and 1654. Tea was first sold in England in 1657 at Garway’s Coffee House in London. In 1662, Queen Catherine of Breganza married Charles III. The Portuguese Catherine grew up drinking tea and brought her favorite dink with her to England. They both drank tea, creating a fashion for it. Its popularity among the aristocracy caused alcoholic beverages to fall from favor.
In 1657, tea was introduced to the English public in coffee houses as a medicinal drink. For ladies, tea was generally consumed in the bedchamber or during a female gathering. During the 18th century, tea gardens became popular among the upper class. At this time, tea arrived in Northern America. The earliest tea service dates from the early 1700s when Queen Anne first used a large silver teapot. Around this time, traders with 300 camels traveled 11,000 miles to China and back in order to supply Russia’s demand. The trip took a total of 16 months.
16 December, 1773, was the day of the “Boston Tea Party” which was a political protest against the British government and the monopolistic control of high taxes on the colonies. Under cover of night, colonists dressed as Native Americans, boarded the East India Trading Company ships in Boston Harbor. They opened chests of tea and dumped their contents into the water. This was repeated in other less known instances up and down the coast. The Boston Tea Party was a key event in the growth of the American Revolution.
In 1776 England sent the first opium to China. Opium addiction in China funded the escalating demand for tea in England. Cash trade for the drug increased until the opium wars began in 1839. An Imperial Edict from the Chinese Emperor closed all Chinese ports to foreign vessels until the end of the First Opium War.
The tradition of high tea did not develop among the upper class. It was originally a middle and lower class tradition during the early 1800s to substitute for dinner. The name high tea came from the high tables the tea was served in.
During the 1830s, Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, adopted the European tea services format and would invite her friends over for a small afternoon meal. The meal centered around small cakes and sandwiches. This idea was copied by many other hostesses during this era and tea time was born. In the 1880s the tradition of tea time was brought to luxury hotels as a form of entertainment and socialization around 4pm.
The beginning of the 20th century saw a significant rise in tea consumption which resulted from the appearance of tea bags, the inventor of tea bags, a New York tea merchant by the name of Thomas Sullivan. He sent tea to clients in silk bags which they began to mistakenly steep without opening. F
Today, the top 5 tea consuming countries in the world are Turkey, Ireland, UK, Iran, and Morocco.
Witch Tip: In Tibet, tea is served mixed with salt and butter.
Witch Tip: In Myanmar, formerly Burma, pickled tea, known as lahpet, is eaten.
The “Vessel Boiling Electric” or “BV” for boiling vessel was an innovation at the very end of World War II, when the Centurion tank was introduced with the device fitted inside the turret. Previously, British tank crews had disembarked when they wanted to “brew-up” (make tea), using a petrol cooker improvised from empty fuel cans called a “Benghazi burner”. Use of the BV enabled the crew to stay safely inside the tank and reduced the time taken for breaks. A boiling vessel is a water heating system fitted to British armored fighting vehicles that permits the crew to heat water and cook food by drawing power from the vehicle electrical supply. It is often referred to by crew members (not entirely in jest) as the most important piece of equipment in a British armored vehicle. A vehicle with a defective BV is declared unfit for purpose.
Preparing for Litha: Start preparing for your Litha celebration by using lemon, lavender, and thyme essential oils in your home diffuser.
Greet the sun at dawn: See the sun rise and set. Whether with song, drumming, or a simple salute to the early morning sunrise, today is a day to bask in the strength of the sun, for this is its height and its joy. Midsummer is a time to absorb the sun’s warming rays and it is another fertility sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals. Enjoy time outdoors, allowing the sun to warm your body as you relax, walk, or read. Take a picnic and enjoy the warm light. Bid farewell to the sun god for a few months and be assured, he will return.
Honor the storms and the sun: Remember that the storms are integral to the day as well. In many areas, midsummer marks the start of the rains, and thunder and lightning are just as much a part of the season as the sun. Take time to reflect on the many facets of the season.
Family get together: Summer Solstice is a time for people to get together and celebrate life. Many people gather at sacred sites, where it is usual to leave an offering of summer flowers, a stone, or crystal as a thank you to the sun.
Litha Magic: To celebrate the new light and warmth of the Summer Solstice, gather a large bowl of beach sand, 3 candles, a sea shell for cleansing energies. As you welcome the glory of the sun, a symbol of energy, growth, and wellbeing, light your candles, representing your body, mind, and spirit in a triangle shape around the bowl. With your blessed seashell in the center of the sand, begin to draw a spiral clockwise, from the seashell outward, visualizing, new growth, renewal, and positive light energy finding way to you as you do so. Say:
With this symbol of life, death and renewal, I now draw in new energy to manifest my desires. I welcome opportunities of positive change into my life.
When complete, meditate with your new energy.
Midsummer Spell: Make a Midsummer incense for a solstice love spell to harness the magic of the solstice. Mix a handful of fresh or dried rose petals and lavender flowers in a non-metallic bowl. Add half a stick of crumbled cinnamon and two pods of star anise. Add six drops of rose oil to the mix. Now grind the ingredients together. If you don’t intend to use the incense immediately, keep it fresh in a sealed jar. Now you are ready to do your spell. Facing east, burn a teaspoonful of the incense on a charcoal block and, without holding a particular person in mind, ask for new love to come into your life. Close with the words: May this be for the highest good of all.
Litha Herb Charm: Take St. John’s Wort, Mugwort, vervain, and lemon balm, and then pour all of your worries, fears, and concerns into them. Then place them into a small yellow sachet bag. Feel free to draw a sigil, sun, or any other symbol on the bag. Drop the bag into the Litha fire or cauldron and watch how your worries burn away.
Cauldron works: Rituals include placing a flower ringed cauldron on the altar. Gather and dry herbs to put in the cauldron and plunge your athame into the cauldron for renewed energy. You can also set these herbs on fire to simulate a bonfire.
Roll a burning wheel: Roll a burning wooden wheel down the hillsides to represent the decline of the sun. The wheels were very large to ensure fertility and prosperity in the coming year. The ritual commemorates those ancient sun wheels and purification by fire.
Make solar water: Make solar water by leaving a bowl of spring water under the midday sun for a few hours. You can use this water for masculine rituals, those requiring significant power, and any kind of spell needing a power up.
Charge your crystals: Leave any crystals or items of jewelry you would like to imbue with the sun’s energy out in the sun for a few hours.
Found this years ago. I plan to tray this on Litha!
Protection Rattle: Create a Litha protection rattle that you can use while dancing around your bonfire. Using 2 shells that join together, twine, and carnelian, create your rattle to celebrate the solstice. Place the carnelian inside the 2 shells before wrapping the twine around the shells to hold it together. Secure the twine so that the shells do not open while in use.
St. John’s Wort
Gather flowers: Summer Solstice celebrates the sun as it brings life to plants and flowers such as its namesake, the sunflower. Deck your house with Birch, fennel, St. John’s Wort. Also called goatweed, rosin rose, and chase devil, the St. John’s Wort flower is prized at the Summer Solstice. If it is native, seek it in your area. If it is not, seek another flower that blooms around this time of year. According to folklore, if you pick seven or nine types of wild flower in the evening, in silence, and place them under your pillow, you will dream of your future spouse. But you mustn’t reveal whom you dreamed about to anyone! Flowers or herbs picked at Midsummer are thought to be doubly potent. St. John’s Wort is so named because it traditionally flowers on Midsummer’s Day or St. John’s Eve, by its Christian name. If it is harvested at this time, it can be kept until the winter and made into an antidepressant tea with the qualities it has absorbed from the sun.
Create a wand: Midsummer is the time to cut magical wands as the trees hold their greatest amount of light at this time.
Decorate your altar: At this time when light will begin to wane, decorate your altar and house with sunflowers. Place honey on your altar to represent life’s sweetness. Light the same gold candle for a short time for four or five nights over this period. On the last evening, after the candle is safely snuffed, wrap what is left of it in yellow or gold colored cloth with sunflower seeds. Tie the parcel with a yellow ribbon and keep it somewhere safe for protection and good fortune until next Litha.
Divination: At Litha, the veils between the worlds are thin. The portals between the fields we know and worlds beyond stand open. This is an excellent time for rites of divination.
Sun wheel cake/bread: One way of marking the Summer Solstice in your own home is to bake round cakes covered in yellow icing. These traditionally represent the sun wheel, a symbol used to represent the sun in many ancient cultures, and should be eaten for breakfast. Ideally, you should get up before the dawn and sit on a hilltop to watch the sunrise, while eating the cakes as the sun’s golden disc rises above the horizon. Take any sponge or fairy cake recipe, but add saffron for yellow color in the cake, or to color the icing, and add some honey to taste. Garnish the mix with sunflower seeds to add midsummer ambiance. Once your sun wheel cake is baked, prepare a flask of mead, a traditional honey liqueur, to wash down a slice at sunrise. You can also bake bread in the shape of the sun as well.
Sunflower Solstice Cake: Bake a sunflower solstice cake decorated with yellow icing and sunflower seeds to share with your friends over a glass of mead. If you don’t want seeds on your cake, you can add chocolate chips to represent the seeds and make it more palatable.
Sun Wreath/catcher: Create a sun decoration covered in colors and plants of the holiday. Sunflowers, yellow ribbon, and lavender are great starts to your wreath. You can also make a sunny decoration from dried oranges or other citrus.
Reaffirm your dedication: Reaffirm your vows to the Lord and Lady or your dedication to following the old traditions. To celebrate, put out an offering to your deity.
Leave out an offering for the Fae: The faeries abound at this time and it is customary to leave offerings, such as milk, food, or herbs, for them for the evening. Summer Solstice, in particularly Midsummer’s Eve, is a time when fairies would bestow good luck on humans. An old ritual for children was to place food out in the garden for the fairies who would then sometimes leave crystals as a token of thanks. Shakespeare took the fairy legends and lovers traditions and wrote about them in his play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, when fairies with their magic, play the leading characters interacting with humans and mortals.
Help the Environment: Make a pledge to Mother Earth pertaining to something that you will do to improve the environment. Try to make long term changes to make the earth a better place for all life.
Gender: Feminine Element: Fire Planet: Sun, Venus Zodiac Sign: N/A Celtic Zodiac/ Date: N/A Lunar Month: N/A Tarot: The Sun Rune: N/A Ogham: N/A Crystal: Gold Deities: Ra, Anubis, Osiris, Min, Zeus, Apollo, Demeter, Aphrodite, Melissa, the prophet Mohammad Angels, Fairies, Associated Festival: N/A Chakras: Sacral, Third Eye Birth Month: N/A Meaning: N/A Type: Bee Vomit Grows in Zone: N/A Plant for Bees?: N/A Natural pesticide?: No Poisonous/ Toxic: No
Since the beginning of recorded history, honey has been known to have antiseptic properties. medicinal importance of honey has been documented in the world’s oldest medical literatures, and since the ancient times, it has been known to possess antimicrobial property as well as wound-healing activity. Frequent mention of honey in medicine was made by the Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans. It’s the only cure for some antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Holistic practitioners consider it one of nature’s best all-around remedies.
Honey lacks moisture and bacteria and microorganisms need moisture to survive. Simply put, the organisms that cause things to spoil thrive in water, so they aren’t able to grow in such a thirsty environment. It is also acidic. With an average pH level of 3.5—close to a lemon’s 2.5 pH—any bacteria that manage to grow in the sweet substance will have a hard time surviving in such acidity.
Honey comes in many varieties, depending on the floral source of pollen or nectar gathered and regurgitated by the honey bee upon arrival in the hive. Shop for honey and you’ll see that some are lighter, others are darker. In general, the darker the honey, the better its antibacterial and antioxidant power.there is a MAJOR difference between natural raw unpasteurized honey, and most store bought honey. Most commercial honey has no traces of pollen and lacks beneficial vitamins and enzymes among a host of other natural constituents which are removed due to pasteurization and processing.
Most golden honey you see at your local grocery is dead and far from the health promoting powerhouse of its raw unpasteurized counterpart. Processed honey is not honey at all, and if you desire any kind of health benefits, you should check the label to make sure it is not just high fructose corn syrup and that it is raw and unfiltered.
Phytonutrients are compounds found in plants that help protect the plant from harm. For example, some keep insects away or shield the plant from ultraviolet radiation. The phytonutrients in honey are responsible for its antioxidant properties, as well as its antibacterial and antifungal power. They’re also thought to be the reason raw honey has shown immune-boosting and anticancer benefits. Heavy processing destroys these valuable nutrients.
The medical grade honeys have potent in vitro bactericidal activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria causing several life-threatening infections to humans. But, there is a large variation in the antimicrobial activity of some natural honeys, which is due to spatial and temporal variation in sources of nectar. Honey’s antibacterial effects were first demonstrated by the Dutch scientist Bernardus Adrianus van Ketel in 1892. Since then, numerous studies have shown that honey has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, although potency varies widely between different honeys.
Ancient Egyptians found that honey could be used as a natural bandage, smothering it on their cuts, burns, and eyes to fight infection. Honey can actually help treat burns and wounds due to its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and general antiseptic nature. Preliminary evidence suggests that it aids in the healing of partial thickness burns 4–5 days faster than other dressings, and moderate evidence suggests that post-operative infections treated with honey heal faster and with fewer adverse events than with antiseptic and gauze. Use beeswax for burns and insect bites, including bee stings.
Witch Tip: When you find that a fever blister is about to emerge apply raw honey to the area several times a day and before bedtime.
Many suggest that when you move somewhere new, that you should start eating the local honey to help prevent or combat allergies. Some laboratory studies suggest honey has the potential to clear up stuffy noses and ease allergies triggered by pollen. But it’s a bit of a stretch to apply that to all allergies. most allergy sufferers are sensitive to wind-carried pollens like grass and ragweed — the kind not carried by bees and transformed into honey.
Honey is a great natural remedy for coughs and cold symptoms. If you’re suffering from a cold or something going on in the throat or upper airways, getting on board with honey syrup will help fight infection and soothe membranes. In a study that involved 139 children, honey beat out dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant) and diphenhydramine (an antihistamine) in easing nighttime cough in children and improving their sleep. Another study involving 105 children found that buckwheat honey trumped dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in over-the-counter cough medication, in suppressing nighttime coughs. It also works as a cough suppressant.
Witch Tip: How to make cough syrup. Just a few sips of this natural cough syrup will help to soothe a sore throat. The antibacterial properties of honey will help to fight off throat infections. To make a simple cough syrup: Pour 300ml of boiling water into a jug containing a sliced lemon and one tablespoon of organic honey. You may then choose to add an herb that is good at knocking out colds. You can use:
1. Sage- chopped fresh sage helps soothe an aching head.
3. Thyme- a spoonful of chopped fresh thyme will fight infection.
Cool, strain, and take a 20ml spoonful 3 times a day.
Witch Tip: For colds/cough, take 1 tbsp honey in lukewarm water mixed with ¼ tsp cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. It is very helpful to cure most chronic coughs, colds, and clear the sinuses.
Even if honey is natural, it is no better than ordinary white or brown sugar for dieters or people with diabetes. A tablespoon of honey, in fact, has more carbohydrates and calories than granulated white or brown sugar. ‘a sugar is a sugar’ when it comes to diabetes. it’s a widespread myth that honey is better for diabetes. Some patients don’t classify honey as a sugar.
Witch Tip: To improve digestion, upon rising, add 1 tablespoon of honey to a 12 oz. glass of lukewarm water. Drink on an empty stomach.
Witch Tip: For bladder infections, take 2 tbsp of cinnamon powder and 1 tsp of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. This destroys the germs in the bladder.
According to research-based reviews on honey, it has been shown to decrease the severity and duration of diarrhea. Honey also promotes increased potassium and water intake, which is particularly helpful when experiencing diarrhea. Research that took place in Lagos, Nigeria suggests that honey has also shown the ability to block the actions of pathogens that commonly cause diarrhea.
Honey will help in muscle building; a teaspoon of raw organic honey after a workout can induce an insulin spike, allowing your muscles to get the most out of the workout. It can be used as a weight loss aid. Honey can cause changes to the metabolism that will help curb sugar cravings. Honey is also an excellent hangover remedy. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and could potentially save one from a heart attack.
With Tip: To aid in weight loss, Drink a cup of honey tea daily. Add: 1 Cup hot water 1 tbsp organic raw honey 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp cinnamon Drink this once daily. OR 1 cup hot water 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp organic raw honey Drink in the morning on an empty stomach OR 1 Cup hot water 1 tsp cinnamon 1tbsp organic raw honey Drink ½ cup in the morning on an empty stomach and ½ cup 45 minutes to an hour after dinner.
Witch Tip: For heart disease, make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder. Put it on toast instead of using jam or butter and eat it regularly for breakfast.
Witch Tip: Honey boosts energy levels, without the insulin surge caused by white sugar.
It is also good for helping with insomnia and promotes relaxation.
Witch Tip: Honey can also help you go to sleep. One or two teaspoons before bed can help you drift off into dreamland.
The secret behind honey’s eternal shelf life is a range of factors. Hydrogen peroxide, acidity and lack of water work together to make this sticky substance last forever.
Honey, and beeswax, as well as bees themselves are possibly one of the oldest magical ingredients, used across the globe. Keep some on your altar to remind you that amongst the seemingly overwhelming bitterness of everyday life, that sweetness can be found.
Traditionally, honey jars have been used to promote and invoke kindness, joy, love, good will, and harmony. Though you can use these for many things, a popular choice is to envision yourself as the jar and fill it up so that it may bring your kindness, patience, and love to others. But you can also gift them to couples, bring money to yourself, etc. Put one on your altar or in your kitchen.
Witch Tip: Another method can be to write your intention on a piece of paper. Drop it into the jar and add your herbs and any curios you want. Smother the items in honey and then seal the jar. seal the jar with a white candle and set a tea light on top to burn whenever you want to really amp up the spell inside. Honey jars are meant to be prayed over and worked with daily to make the magic begin and last. You may wish to keep your honey jar on your altar or working space so that you can keep an eye on the candle and pray over it whenever you see fit to do so.
Honey can be used in spells for community and communication, as well as abundance and prosperity. Honey can be used to represent wisdom, because gathering honey from hives can be difficult and painful if done incorrectly so it became a metaphor for obtaining knowledge through pain.
Honey is an appropriate offering for a myriad of ancient gods and spirits. Poured into the ocean and river as an offering to sea and river goddesses like Oshun and Yemaya. Kept on the altar as a link to ancient bee priestesses and honeybee spirit guides. Honey left on outside altars to attract faeries and is used to summon angels and light beings.
It was widely believed in Ancient Egypt that if a witch or a wizard made a beeswax figure of a man and injured or destroyed it, the man himself would suffer or die. In a ceremonial offering known as the “Opening of the Mouth”, priests used special instruments to place honey into the mouth of a statue of a god, or the statue or mummy of a king or other great noble. Certain lines in ancient rituals indicate that the Egyptians may have even believed that the soul of a man (his “ka”, or double; the part which continues after death) took the form of a bee. Another ritual from the Book of “Am-Tuat”, or “the Otherworld”, compares the voices of souls to the hum of bees.
In some forms of Hoodoo and folk magic, honey is used to sweeten someone’s feelings towards you. honey jars are a good way to get started with folk magic. These jars are also known as “sweetening jars,” and can actually contain almost any kind of pure sweetener, such as brown or white sugar, molasses, or syrup. You can make jars for each person you want to sweeten if you’re working more elaborate spells on them, or keep one jar with lots of names in it for general sweetening. You can also make vinegar or “souring” jars, which is a form of hexing. In one traditional spell, honey is poured into a jar or saucer on top of a slip of paper containing the person’s name. A candle is placed in the saucer and burned until it goes out on its own. In another variation, the candle itself is dressed with honey. The sweetening element doesn’t necessarily have to be honey.
Witch Tip: How to Make Your Honey Jar: Gather all your supplies. Cleanse your space and supplies with smudge smoke (or your preferred cleansing method). Write your petition on your piece of parchment. If you’re trying to draw something to you, fold the paper towards you (i.e. money, love, etc.) Speak your intention upon each ingredient and place each in the jar. Lastly pour the honey over all of the ingredients. As you do this, pray to your gods/ancestors/guides for your petition to be sweetened and kept flowing, etc. Visualize your intention coming true. Gently shake your honey jar while praying and visualizing further. Last, speak your intentions/prayers over the tealight candle, light it and place it on top of the honey jar. Let it burn down while praying more. Set the honey jar on your altar or somewhere you’ll see it daily. This is an ongoing working for as long as you need the intention to manifest/continue. Shake the jar gently while praying daily. Burn a tealight daily for 3, 7, or 9 days total to feed the jar’s intentions.
Honey, because of its sticky properties, can be used in magic to hold two things together. Some magical traditions use honey to bind a couple that has a shaky relationship. If you want to do a honey binding on a couple – or even on two friends who are struggling with their friendship – you can use poppets with a layer of honey between them, and then wrapped with a cord. Because honey does not solidify, you can always separate the two poppets later with minimal disruption.
If you do any kitchen magic, honey can come in very handy. Use it in dishes to bring about sweetness, fertility, or prosperity. You can even use honey in rituals as an offering to deity–many goddesses and gods seem to appreciate it.
Healing and cleansing rituals include honey. You can also use a blend of milk and honey to asperge a sacred space if you’re holding ritual outdoors. Add a spoon of honey to a sweetening or cleansing bath ritual to cleanse and sweeten your aura or in a bath scrub for a ritual bath prior to working for love or romance, or anoint a candle with it when you’re doing candle magic.
Include it in spellwork for bringing and keeping two things together. Drip small drops of honey onto or around candles for love and prosperity spells
Take a dose of honey regularly to balance the sacral chakra and fertility. Anoint your third eye with magical honey to dream of your future love.
Some people enjoy infusing herbs and flowers directly into the honey itself. Depending on the herb or flower infused, it will alter the honey magic properties and can be further used for those purposes.
Honey is a diverse magical ingredient which can be used in many spells and will enhance the results. An interesting lore suggests that certain types of honey possess magnified abilities when incorporated in related spells. A Witch can use a certain type of Magic to empower their power, another type to call for love, and another one to banish and protect.
There are many ways to use honey in Magic. There are going to follow several spells using honey. For starters you can use honey to attract what you wish. Angels may be summoned by offering them Honey. Do you want to ask from an Angel to bless you with magical powers? Offer them Lavender Honey. Do you need them to aid you for protection and banishing? Offer them Thyme Honey. Do you need to feel happy and blessed again? Offer them Flower Honey.
Lavender honey: has honey magic properties of relaxation, love, beauty and purification. Lavender honey is the honey of magic. This type of Honey is believed to be extra potent when used in Magic and spells. It is considered a powerful instrument of the Witches and it is also believed to grant Magical Powers to the one who ingests it regularly.
Directions: Add lavender buds to a sterile jar. Drizzle honey over the lavender until fully submerged. Stir the lavender gently as you meditate on your intent. Store in a cupboard and take a spoon daily. Or you can put the honey in a boil safe jar. Place the jar into a pot of hot water that is not boiling. Don’t let the honey boil. Add the lavender and let it heat for a while as you think of your intentions. Once done, take the jar out and store it. Store in the cupboard, take a spoonful daily. For the each subsequent recipe, follow the directions of the lavender honey, but change the lavender for a different ingredient if you are making any of the other infusions.
Lemon balm infused honey: soothes nerves and anxiety and aids in falling asleep; also invokes joy
Rosemary honey: the honey of Love and Beauty. purification, money, love, healing, mental clarity, beauty, prophecy. Rosemary Honey is extra potent when dealing with Beauty and Love spells. Rosemary honey can also be used in healing spells but mostly to heal our inner selves. What causes all this trouble in my life? Rituals employing prophetic dreams and self-healing could be more effective with use of Rosemary Honey.
Mint honey: money, prosperity, cleansing, and love properties; plus mint aids digestion
Thyme honey: the Honey of Courage. Popular in the Mediterranean countries, it is considered to give courage and build self-confidence. Eating Honey from Thyme help us cleanse ourselves from jinxes and strengthens our aura against malevolent attacks. It is also the PERFECT offering for attracting the faery folk to your garden! Thyme is a favorite of fairies as well as honey. Use for protection, confidence, and cleansing.
Rose honey: love, healing, protection, long life
Pine Honey: the honey of Protection. protection, rejuvenation. Pine Honey is a very popular honey all over the World. Pine honey should be used by anyone who feels his or her energy at low levels. Pine’s magic is intense and used for rejuvenation. Moreover Pine will help you not only recharge your “batteries” but also protect you from anyone who wants to vampirize on your powers. Pine Honey should be used when we feel we are under demonic or other psychic attack.
Flower Honey: the honey of Happiness. beauty, love, happiness. Flower honey is honey produced by bees that pollinate the wild fields. In facts it uses any flower available thus Flower Honey is drenched with the power of Spring. Flower honey is perfect when Spring is what need to “happen” in your life. Flower honey helps us get in touch with beauty, love and the child in us! Use Flower Honey in spells for Love, Friendship and Happiness.
Eucalyptus Honey: the honey of Uncrossing. protection, uncrossing, healing. Eucalyptus honey is not that common. However, if found it would be an excellent tool for Healing and Uncrossing spells. It is more powerful than Thyme honey in uncrossing rituals & Pine honey in healing rituals. However, use Pine honey when you are under attack and Thyme honey for general protection. In healing spells start with Pine Honey (if your “energy” hits critical levels) and continue with Eucalyptus as it’s milder but more effective in long-term use.
Sage Honey: healing, protection, soothing
Acacia Honey: the honey of Vital Energy. Acacia’s powers are passing into this Honey and allegedly helps banish insomnia and nightmares as it stops all evil influences. Ingesting Acacia’s honey is believed to restore your Vital Energy which was drained by the Evil Eye or Malevolent attacks.
Manuka Honey: the honey of Healing. It is produced in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush and is considered one of the most unique and beneficial forms of honey in the world. Manuka Honey is used in healing spells of the Maori tribe. You can try to dedicate some Manuka honey to the spirits and angels of Healing.
Many herbs and plants can be dangerous in high doses, such as eucalyptus, do your research before making any infusions especially if taking internally or every day. All infusions can be used in spell work if you prefer not to ingest. Infusions can also be gifted to deities as well and will always be accepted
How can I help save the bees?
DON’T use pesticides in your lawn or garden and encourage your friends, family and neighbors to do the same.
Plant NATIVE flowers, trees, and shrubs. Native flowers and plants aid your local honeybee and other pollinator populations by providing a natural nectar source.
Put a bee bath in your garden for the bees to bathe and drink.
Support your local organic beekeepers, farmers and gardeners in their efforts to save the honeybees.
Instead of having a honeybee hive destroyed – have someone come out and remove it and re-locate it.
Stop cutting down trees that don’t need to be cut down! Bees and other pollinators and wild life need trees too!
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
Honey has a very long use in history as well as magic so this will be a 2 part post. Part 1 will be its history and Part 2 will be its medical and metaphysical uses. Enjoy!
Gender: Feminine Element: Fire Planet: Sun, Venus Zodiac Sign: N/A Celtic Zodiac/ Date: N/A Lunar Month: N/A Tarot: The Sun Rune: N/A Ogham: N/A Crystal: Gold Deities: Ra, Anubis, Osiris, Min, Zeus, Apollo, Demeter, Aphrodite, Melissa, the prophet Mohammad Angels, Fairies, Associated Festival: N/A Chakras: Sacral, Third Eye Birth Month: N/A Meaning: N/A Type: Bee Vomit Grows in Zone: N/A Plant for Bees?: N/A Natural pesticide?: No Poisonous/ Toxic: No
Honey is a sweet, viscous food substance made by honey bees and some related insects. Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants (floral nectar) or from secretions of other insects (such as honeydew), by regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation. Honey is produced by bees collecting nectar for use as sugars consumed to support metabolism of muscle activity during foraging or to be stored as a long-term food supply. They have to fly over 50.000 miles in order to “produce” about 1lb of Honey. Bees store honey in wax structures called honeycombs. In cold weather or when other food sources are scarce, adult and larval bees use stored honey as food. Honey is collected from wild bee colonies, or from hives of domesticated bees, a practice known as beekeeping or apiculture.
Honey gets its sweetness from the monosaccharides fructose and glucose, and has about the same relative sweetness as sucrose (table sugar). Most microorganisms do not grow in honey, so sealed honey does not spoil, even after thousands of years.
Generally, honey is bottled in its familiar liquid form, but it is sold in other forms, and can be subjected to a variety of processing methods.
Many countries grade honey by grade A, B, C, or less than C. Grade is the best but what does that mean? High-quality honey can be distinguished by fragrance, taste, and consistency. Ripe, freshly collected, high-quality honey at 68 °F should flow from a knife in a straight stream, without breaking into separate drops. After falling down, the honey should form a bead. The honey, when poured, should form small, temporary layers that disappear fairly quickly, indicating high viscosity. If not, it indicates honey with excessive water content of over 20%, not suitable for long-term preservation.
Honey use and production have a long and varied history as an ancient activity still in effect today. In 2018, global production of honey was 1.9 million tons, led by China with 24% of the world total. Other major producers were Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, United States, India, and Russia. Over its history as a food, the main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, desserts, as a spread on bread, as an addition to various beverages such as tea, and as a sweetener in some commercial beverages. The flavor of a particular type of honey will vary based on the types of flower from which the nectar was harvested.
This is my favorite mead. Well worth trying if you’ve never had it before!
Possibly the world’s oldest fermented beverage, dating from 9,000 years ago, mead (“honey wine”) is the alcoholic product made by adding yeast to honey-water must and fermenting it for weeks or months. Primary fermentation usually takes 28 to 56 days, after which the must is placed in a secondary fermentation vessel for 6 to 9 months of aging. Mead varieties include drinks called metheglin (with spices or herbs), melomel (with fruit juices, such as grape, specifically called pyment), hippocras (with cinnamon), and sack mead (high concentration of honey). Honey is also used to make mead beer, called “braggot”.
For much of history, honey was humanity’s main source of sweetness, as well as our first vehicle for getting drunk. Unlike table sugar, honey also comes in an infinite variety of textures and flavors, influenced by the two million blossoms from which each jar is made. And, from ancient Egypt to modern medicine, honey has been valued for its healing powers. Honey is the second-sweetest substance found in nature (only dates are sweeter).
Honey collection is an ancient activity. Humans have been using bee products, like honey and wax, for at least 9,000 years. Analyzed pottery from prehistoric vessels at a Neolithic site called Ctalhoyuk in southern Anatolia in modern Turkey, and found evidence of early farmers using beeswax as far back as the Stone Age. Beeswax was used continuously from the seventh millennium BCE, probably as an integral part in different tools, in rituals, cosmetics, medicine, as a fuel or to make receptacles waterproof. This means that people established a working relationship with bees very soon after the rise of settled farming in the region.
Several cave paintings in Cuevas de la Araña in Spain depict humans foraging for honey at least 8,000 years ago. A Mesolithic rock painting the cave in Valencia, Spain, also dating back at least 8,000 years, depicts two honey foragers collecting honey and honeycomb from a wild bees’ nest. The figures are depicted carrying baskets or gourds, and using a ladder or series of ropes to reach the nest.
Honey is the only food that will not rot. The oldest known honey remains were found in the Caucuses of the Republic of Georgia during the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline: archaeologists found honey remains on the inner surface of clay vessels unearthed in an ancient tomb belonging to the Martkopi and Bedeni people from the farming Araxes-Kura culture., dating back between 4,700 and 5,500 years.
In ancient Georgia, several types of honey were buried with a person for their journey into the afterlife, including linden, berry, and meadow-flower varieties. The tomb belonged to an important chief or leader, and he had several other people buried with him. Inside his Bronze Age burial site, called Ananauri 3, were wild berry offerings to the dead. They were still red and incredibly well preserved, despite being 4,300 years old, because they were cured with ancient honey. Even their scent was still sweet and intense with musky undertones. Many other magnificent ancient and precious burial objects were buried with the chief to accompany him to the afterlife. They were all masterfully embalmed with honey, and are therefore surprisingly well preserved.
It’s always appropriate to leave offerings of honey at a grave site. This has been done in all ancient cultures.
The ancient Egyptians used honey for a multitude of purposes including as a sweetener for cakes and biscuits in many other dishes, was considered a sacred offering for the gods and an ingredient in embalming fluid. The fertility god of Egypt, Min, was offered honey. Honey was used for healing wounds, paying taxes, and in trade. While excavating Egypt’s famous pyramids, archaeologists have found pots of honey as offerings the dead, to give them something to eat in the afterlife in multiple ancient tombs. The honey, dating back approximately 3,000 years, is the world’s oldest sample – and still perfectly edible. Mummies were sometimes embalmed in honey, and often sarcophagi were sealed up with beeswax. Thanks to Egyptian drawings depicting ancient beekeeping, we’ve long known that humans have worked with bees for thousands of years.
From mythology to medicine, the honey bee practically reigned over Egyptian society. Egyptians considered bees sacred. It was written in the “Salt Magical Papyrus”, that bees were created from the tears of the sun-god Ra himself, whom the Egyptians believed to be the creator of the earth and the sea. Ra’s right eye was the sun, his left eye was the moon, and he caused the Nile to flood. “When Ra weeps again the water which flows from his eyes upon the ground turns into working bees. They work in flowers and trees of every kind and wax and honey come into being.”
This spiritual connection led people to believe that some spirits took the form of a bee after death, and bees’ buzzing was often thought to be the voices of souls. Because of this association with the afterlife, bees and honey were beloved by Pharaohs. So beloved, in fact, they would even be taken to the grave.
The Egyptians cherished honey so much, jars of the liquid gold were buried with deceased royalty to give them a sweet transition into the afterlife. Among wine, jewelry and weapons, honey was also valuable enough to be stashed in King Tutankhamen’s golden tomb—still edible after 3,000 long years.
Bees were associated with royalty in Egypt; indeed, as early as 3500 BC, the bee was the symbol of the King of Lower Egypt! (The symbol of the King of Upper Egypt was a reed). There are many examples of bee hieroglyphs to be found in the records, as well as hieroglyphs for honey and beekeeper.
Beekeeping has been practiced for thousands of years in Egypt. For at least four thousand five hundred years, the Egyptians have been making hives in the same way, out of pipes of clay or Nile mud, often stacked one on top of another. These hives were moved up and down the Nile depending on the time of year, allowing the bees to pollinate any and all flowers which were in season. Special rafts were built for moving these hives, which were stacked in pyramids. At each new location, the hives were carried to the nearby flowers and released. When the flowers died, the bees were taken a few miles further down the Nile and released again. Thus the bees traveled the whole length of Egypt.
Honey was used by all classes in Ancient Egypt, indicating that it must have been produced on a large scale. It was used for everything from sweetening food, to preventing infection by being placed on wounds, to paying taxes. One marriage contract has been found which states, “I take thee to wife… and promise to deliver to thee yearly twelve jars of honey.” Honey was exacted as tribute from conquered countries; for instance, many jars of honey were paid each year by the Retenu tribe of Syria to their Egyptian conqueror, Thutmoses II.
Honey and wax were used for religious as well as practical purposes. Sacred animals were fed cakes sweetened with honey. These animals included the sacred bull at Memphis, the sacred lion at Leontopolis, and the sacred crocodile at Crocodilopolis.
In ancient Greece, honey was produced from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods. In 594 BC beekeeping around Athens was so widespread that Solon passed a law about it: “He who sets up hives of bees must put them 300 feet away from those already installed by another”. Greek archaeological excavations of pottery located ancient hives. According to Columella, Greek beekeepers of the Hellenistic period did not hesitate to move their hives over rather long distances to maximize production, taking advantage of the different vegetative cycles in different regions.
The Bee, an insect so sacred that Zeus Himself, the All-mighty Olympian King of Gods, blessed them by granting their sting to be protected from Men. In ancient Greek religion, the food of Zeus and the twelve Gods of Olympus was honey in the form of nectar and ambrosia. There are many important stories in the Greek Pantheon which underline the importance of the bee. Apollo, God of Magical & Medicinal Arts along with Divination, was believed to have Mastered the Art of Prophecy with the help of three Primordial Nymphs who were also identified as Bee Goddesses, known as Thriae (θριαί). Those Nymphs nurtured Apollo as an infant and later became his powerful Priestesses. This is also why the Priestesses of Apollo were also called “Bees”.
Honey was a powerful offering to the Greek Gods as well. The hexagonal shape of a typical honeycomb relates to the Number 6, a number sacred to Aphrodite (Venus) as Pythagoras proclaimed in his doctrine of Numerology. In addition, the folklore of a number of societies indicates that a blend of honey and milk is an acceptable offering to a deity. In particular, honey is sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. In Ancient Greece, the high priestess of Aphrodite was “Melissa” which translates to “bee”. She tended to the sacred beehives at Aphrodite’s temple on Mount Eryx.
Persian King Artaxerxes
The Persian Empire had another use for honey that was much darker. scaphism, a torture method also known as “the boats” that originated in the Persian Empire, around the 5th century B.C. It was devised to inflict as much pain and discomfort as possible for as long as the victim remained alive, and it was reserved only for people guilty of the worst crimes (for instance, murder and treason). The method consisted of trapping the victim in the space between two small boats or two hollowed-out tree trunks and force-feeding them milk and honey over the course of a few days until the person died.
In order for the method to work, it had to take place in a swamp or somewhere where the boats could lie exposed to the sun. The victim would be tied inside the space between the boats in a way that left their head, hands, and feet outside. Then, the person in charge of the process would feed the victim a mixture of milk and honey, forcing them to swallow against their will, so the mixture dripped everywhere, covering their eyes, face, and neck. This same mixture was then spread all over the exposed body parts, and the idea was that it would attract every insect, vermin, and wild animal in the area. Very soon afterwards, flies and rats, for instance, would show up and start attacking the victim, eating the mixture of milk and honey, but also eating the person alive along the process.
There was also the severe diarrhea that left them feeling weak and dehydrated. This symptom was the intended consequence of their enforced milk-and-honey diet. The more they were fed this mixture, the more they would defecate inside the boats, but also, the longer they stayed alive. This point was the cruelest yet most effective aspect of scaphism: the victims couldn’t die from the diarrhea-induced dehydration because they were fed milk and honey every day. As a result, the victims could survive for days and even weeks in a small hell of bugs, feces, milk, and honey.
Finally, because the victim would have no choice but to empty their bowels inside the boats, the feces would accumulate and breed maggots and other vermin that slowly made their way into the victim’s body and ate them from the inside. This is what killed them, ultimately, as was confirmed when the victim died and the boats would be separated, revealing their half-eaten body.
The most famous victim of “the boats” was a young Persian soldier by the name of Mithridates who died around 401 B.C. He was sentenced to die because he accidentally killed Cyrus the Younger, a nobleman who wanted the throne. The actual king, Artaxerxes, was actually grateful to him for killing the young threat, and had secretly covered for him, but when Mithridates forgot about the deal and started bragging about having killed Cyrus, he was immediately sentenced. According to the records written by Plutarch, the Greek essayist and biographer, he was unlucky enough to survive 17 days in “the boats.” The historian Plutarch outlined the seventeen-day-long death of the Persian soldier Mithridates by scaphism in detail: Taking two boats framed exactly to fit and answer each other, they lay down in one of them the malefactor that suffers, upon his back; then, covering it with the other, and so setting them together that the head, hands, and feet of him are left outside, and the rest of his body lies shut up within, they offer him food, and if he refuse to eat it, they force him to do it by pricking his eyes; then, after he has eaten, they drench him with a mixture of milk and honey, pouring it not only into his mouth, but all over his face. They then keep his face continually turned towards the sun; and it becomes completely covered up and hidden by the multitude of flies that settle on it. And as within the boats he does what those that eat and drink must needs do, creeping things and vermin spring out of the corruption and rottenness of the excrement, and these entering into the bowels of him, his body is consumed. When the man is manifestly dead, the uppermost boat being taken off, they find his flesh devoured, and swarms of such noisome creatures preying upon and, as it were, growing to his inwards.
In Jewish tradition, honey is a symbol for the new year, Rosh Hashanah. At the traditional meal for that holiday, apple slices are dipped in honey and eaten to bring a sweet new year. Some Rosh Hashanah greetings show honey and an apple, symbolizing the feast. In some congregations, small straws of honey are given out to usher in the new year. In 2005 an apiary dating from the 10th century B.C. was found in Tel Rehov, Israel that contained 100 hives, estimated to produce half a ton of honey annually. Pure honey is considered kosher (permitted to be eaten by religious Jews), though it is produced by a flying insect, a non-kosher creature; eating other products of non-kosher animals is forbidden.
The Hebrew Bible contains many references to honey. In the Book of Judges, Samson found a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of a lion (14:8). Biblical law covered offerings made in the temple to God. The Book of Leviticus says that “Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord” (2:11). In the Books of Samuel, Jonathan is forced into a confrontation with his father King Saul after eating honey in violation of a rash oath Saul has made. Proverbs 16:24 in the JPS Tanakh 1917 version says “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Book of Exodus famously describes the Promised Land as a “land flowing with milk and honey” (33:3). However, most Biblical commentators write that the original Hebrew in the Bible (דבש devash) refers to the sweet syrup produced from the juice of dates (silan).
The Christian New Testament (Matthew 3:4) says that John the Baptist lived for a long of time in the wilderness on a diet of locusts and honey. the growth of Christianity led to an increased demand for beeswax for church candles.
In Islam, an entire chapter (Surah) in the Qur’an is called an-Nahl (the Bees). According to his teachings (hadith), Muhammad strongly recommended honey for healing purposes. The Qur’an promotes honey as a nutritious and healthy food, saying: “And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men’s) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought” [Al-Quran 16:68–69]
In Buddhism, honey plays an important role in the festival of Madhu Purnima, celebrated in India and Bangladesh. The day commemorates Buddha’s making peace among his disciples by retreating into the wilderness. According to legend, while he was there a monkey brought him honey to eat. On Madhu Purnima, Buddhists remember this act by giving honey to monks. The monkey’s gift is frequently depicted in Buddhist art.
The spiritual and supposed therapeutic use of honey in ancient India was documented in both the Vedas and the Ayurveda texts. In Hinduism, honey (Madhu) is one of the five elixirs of life (Panchamrita). In temples, honey is poured over the deities in a ritual called Madhu abhisheka. The Vedas and other ancient literature mention the use of honey as a great medicinal and health food.
As a general rule, use ¾ cup of honey for every one cup of sugar, reduce the liquid in the recipe by 2 tablespoons and lower the oven temperature by 25º Fahrenheit. Drizzle it on top of fruits, yogurts, and more! Also tastes great on bread and on a charcuterie board
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
Gender: Male Element: Fire Planet: Mars Zodiac Sign: Aries Celtic Zodiac/ Date: Lunar Month: N/A Tarot: N/A Rune: N/A Ogham: N/A Crystal: N/A Deities: Kukulkan Associated Festival: N/A Chakras: N/A Birth Month: N/A Meaning: N/A Type: hairless perennial branched shrub Grows in Zone: 9-11 Plant for Bees?: Yes Natural pesticide?: No Poisonous/ Toxic: No
The habanero is a hot variety of chili pepper. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. The most common color variants are orange and red, but the fruit may also be white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. Typically, a ripe habanero is 2–6 cm (0.8–2.4 in) long. Habanero chilies are very hot, rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale. The habanero’s heat, flavor, and floral aroma make it a popular ingredient in hot sauces and other spicy foods.
The habanero chili comes from the Amazon, from which it was spread, reaching Mexico. A specimen of a domesticated habanero plant, dated at 8,500 years old, was found at an archaeological site in Peru. An intact fruit of a small domesticated habanero, found in pre-ceramic levels in Guitarrero Cave in the Peruvian highlands, was dated to 6500 BC.
Today, the largest producer of the Habanero pepper is the Yucatán Peninsula, in Mexico. This pepper grows best in countries that are blessed with sunny weather. With proper attention and the right conditions, habanero can actually produce fruits for years. As long as the weather and the environment are suitable, habanero can produce throughout the year. If it gets too much water, the fruits may not grow very well. To meet the market demands of this pepper, at the moment, there are other countries in South America, aside from Mexico, that have started cultivating habanero. They are now important elements of many cultural dishes, both Mexican-inspired and beyond.
Habaneros are an integral part of Yucatecan food, accompanying most dishes, either in natural form or purée or salsa. Other modern producers include Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and parts of the United States, including Texas, Idaho, and California.
The habanero chili was disseminated by Spanish colonists to other areas of the world, to the point that 18th-century taxonomists mistook China for its place of origin and called it Capsicum chinense (“the Chinese pepper”).
The ritual uses of the genus Capsicum range from the innocuous to the murderous, but the fiery pods are always powerful. In astrology, Capsicums fall under the dominion of Mars, ancient god of war, so that should be some indication of respect. Fuentes y Guzmán wrote in 1690 that those who frequently ate red pepper were protected against poison, while the Incas prohibited the use of chilies at initiation and funeral rites. We do not know why the pods were precluded by the Incas. Capsicums were associated with lightning bolts in Incan mythology. Kukulkan Red Habanero peppers originate in Mexico. Kukulkan is the name of a Mayan Snake Deity.
Habanero pepper contains a range of nutrients which provide a myriad of health benefits. They are packed with dietary fiber, vitamins, iron, carbohydrates, potassium, calcium, and protein. Like most of the chili pepper family, habanero also contains capsaicin, a compound that provides a range of health benefits for people.
Habanero peppers contain a significant amount of vitamin C, many more times than a serving of citrus fruit. Vitamin C aids in wound healing and keeps your immune system strong and functioning normally. This water-soluble vitamin is an antioxidant that rids your body of damaging free radicals, compounds that can cause heart disease and certain types of cancer. Unripe green habaneros contain the most vitamin C, but ripe ones supply a generous dose as well. They contain 357% more vitamin C than an orange: green habanero has twice as much as citrus fruit and red ones have three times more, plus an important amount of vitamin A. Moreover, they are a good source of most B vitamins in particular vitamin B6.
Like all other members of the chili pepper family, habaneros contain capsaicinoids, which is why mammals feel a burning sensation when we eat peppers. And because peppers can range in how hot they are when ingested, there is even a scale to measure their power – Scoville Heat Units. Habaneros come in near the top of the list, as far as heat is concerned.
Measuring between 300,000 and 500,000 Scoville units, habaneros are one of the spiciest foods on the planet. We even taste different capsaicinoids differently, and it’s been observed that habaneros provide a delayed, very hot burning sensation at the back of the throat which lingers. Fresh habaneros are less spicy than dried versions, and it is the heat that makes them so beneficial to your health. Adding habanero peppers to your diet provides you with certain healthy benefits that might just outweigh their intense, spicy flavor.
In traditional Chinese medicine, peppers that contain capsaicin are categorized as hot and spicy. Like ginger and cinnamon they are by nature therapeutically warming, promote circulation, and can help relieve pain, depending on how and in what amounts they are taken.
Spicy peppers like habanero can help boost metabolism by generating the thermogenic processes in the body that produces heat. This process makes use of energy, and thereby, burns extra calories. Also, when hot peppers are consumed at breakfast, they suppress appetite for the rest of the day which ultimately helps in weight loss. Habanero can even alter proteins in the body to fight off fat buildup.
Capsaicin, a compound in habanero pepper, is also considered a holistic component for weight loss. Capsaicin is the primary compound in habaneros that offers benefits that protect your health. It selectively destroys nerve fibers that send messages from the stomach to the brain. You might feel hot and sweaty after consuming the pepper. But luckily, it increases the lipid metabolism in the body, so that the body can stop producing fat.
The capsaicin in peppers actually functions as an anti-irritant. Although there is a belief that hot and spicy foods might result in stomach ulcers, studies have shown that peppers are beneficial for people suffering from ulcers. Several studies confirm that capsicum varieties could have an anti-ulcer protective effect on stomachs infected with H. pylori. It is also antifungal. Consumption of peppers fights against 16 fungal strains by reducing fungal pathogens.
The capsaicin in habanero pepper is believed to help prevent diabetes by reducing insulin levels. This is beneficial for obese people, who are mostly at the risk of type 2 diabetes. Habanero also regulates blood glucose and significantly reduce it to prevent and treat diabetes. That habanero pepper does not necessarily cure diabetes. But it prevents and manages diabetes. Habanero pepper works by controlling blood sugar levels if consumed raw. The cooked one may not be as potent as the uncooked one.
Since the capsaicin in peppers contains anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, it is believed to be an effective cancer-fighter. It reduces the growth of prostate cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. Studies have also shown that the consumption of large amounts of peppers protects the body against bladder, pancreatic, and breast cancers. A 2006 study published in “Cancer Research” reports that capsaicin can help slow the spread of cancerous cells and the growth of cancerous tumors associated with prostate cancer.
It also promotes the activity of the circulatory system and prevents heart disease by lowering blood serum cholesterol and reducing lipid deposits. This means that it reverses excessive blood clotting and also dilates the blood vessels to promote blood flow.
Contained in habanero pepper, is the capsaicin that stimulates the body nerves to increase blood flow. The blood vessels then dilate and lower blood pressure. It also increases the insulin-like growth factor IGF-I, which helps the blood cholesterol level to be reduced.
Cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, and high blood pressure can be prevented with the consumption of the pepper. It is a natural approach for maintaining healthy blood circulation. In addition, it reverses damage to blood vessels and prevents bad cholesterol from accumulating in the blood vessel.
Hot peppers like habanero are packed with antioxidants and beta carotene that support the immune system and helps it fight off sinusitis, colds, asthma, and the flu. The pepper also soothes the lining of the lungs
Capsaicin stimulates blood flow through the body, which can help relieve the congestion associated with the common cold and sinus infections. According to some studies, nasal sprays that contain capsaicin can significantly reduce congestion. Hot peppers help to increase body temperature and as such, their consumption aid the immune system in combating colds and flu viruses. In fact, the consumption of peppers like habanero protects the body against fungal strains by minimizing fungal pathogens.
With the anti-inflammatory benefits of capsaicin, hot peppers can help prevent symptoms from allergies. Habanero possesses anti-inflammatory abilities to reduce the effects of inflammation effect, such as swelling and pain. This is one reason why the consumption of this pepper is beneficial for fighting arthritis and headaches. This is also a natural way to get rid of migraine and other kinds of pain.
Capsaicin can be used to relieving pain from many several conditions, including fibromyalgia, arthritis, nerve pain, and back pain. Since capsaicin contains powerful pain-relieving properties, it can be applied to the skin to reduce the chemical P, the ingredient that carries pain messages to the brain. Eventually, the pain receptors exhaust themselves by reducing the body’s reserves. Once this happens, the capsaicin functions as a pain-reliever and treatment for neuralgia, a condition in which a pain comes from the nerve that is close to the skin surface.
Side Note: Capsaicin is used in pepper spray. Chemically, it hyper-stimulates sensory nerves which causes the burning sensation on your tongue and other sensitive tissues including your eyes.
However, be aware that it can cause nausea and heartburn. Those who suffer from digestive system issues such as chronic heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome should try to consume yogurt. It helps to give some kind of protection to the stomach to reduce the effect of habanero.
if you have conditions such as colitis or gastritis it is better to avoid or moderate your consumption since being an irritant product, the body could resent excessive amounts of its intake, causing discomfort and gastrointestinal pain.
The pepper also produces a burning sensation in the mouth. To alleviate this, drink milk. This is because dairy products are capable of deactivating capsaicin and eliminating the burning sensation.
Use level: Easy
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
Gender: Male Element: Fire Planet: Mars Zodiac Sign: N/A Celtic Zodiac/ Date: N/A Lunar Month: N/A Tarot: N/A Rune: N/A Ogham: N/A Crystal: N/A Deities: N/A Associated Festival: N/A Chakras: N/A Birth Month: N/A Meaning: None Type: Perennial root vegetable Grows in Zone: 3-9 Plant for Bees?: No Natural pesticide?: No Poisonous/ Toxic: Poisonous to horses.
Horseradish is a root vegetable and a member of the Brassicaceae family, better known as the mustard family. Other common vegetables from this family include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, mustard greens, wasabi, and kale. They’re also known as cruciferous vegetables. The horseradish plant is most often grown for its tapered root, which is large and white. Common names for horseradish include mountain radish, red cole, and Horse Plant.
It is a cylindrical white root with a yellowish brown skin, on average about 1 foot long and ¾ inch diameter. It is slightly gnarled or ringed, often with small fibrous roots growing from the main root, especially in semi-wild horseradish. In cultivated varieties the root is unbranched and fairly straight. The best fresh roots are thick and well grown; thin and insubstantial roots, apart from being hard to use, are inferior in pungency. It is a member of the same family as mustard and cress and is rich in sulfur. When intact, the root has little aroma. On being scraped or broken, it exudes a penetrating smell, similar to watercress, and is known to irritate the nostrils, making the eyes water even more than onions do.
Horseradish has been known and valued by various groups of the peoples through the ages. The plant has been known in cultivation for about two thousand years. Native to the muddy swamplands of southern Europe and western Asia, horseradish was introduced to the rest of Europe in the 13th century. The ancient name of Britain was Armorica, from which the generic name of this species is derived; the specific name underlines that the plant was grown mainly in the country. Another thought is that the name is an apparent corruption of the German “meerrettich” (sea radish). “Meer” is derived from mahre (an old mare), referring to the tough roots.
The ancient Greeks used it as an aphrodisiac and to ease lower back pain. The Greek Oracle at Delphi told Apollo that the radish was worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver and the horseradish its weight in gold. There is a mural in Pompeii depicting the plant. It is mentioned by the ancient herbalist Pliny as being good for medicine but not used as food.
During the Middle Ages it was known as ‘scurvy grass’. The English and Germans brewed horseradish ale with tansy and wormwood, and today a horseradish vodka — Referent — is distilled in Wisconsin. It is one of the five bitter herbs (along with coriander, horehound, lettuce, and nettle) used by the Jewish people at the time of the Passover, and later was used to treat TB, coughs, colic and scurvy. in present times, horseradish is still commonly used in the Passover Seder.
It was a favorite condiment with vinegar among the country folk in rustic Germany. Its reputation spread to England and France, where it became known as moutarde des Allemands. The French still eat horseradish, slicing the whole root at the table and salting it.
In the colonial era it was embraced, started bottling it in 1860, and now about six million gallons per year of prepared horseradish are produced. Henry J. Heinz is believed to have been the first to develop a commercial horseradish product in 1944.
You can buy raw horseradish, which looks similar to the ginger root. You can also buy horseradish as supplements in capsule form and as tinctures and tonics. Dosages of these preparations are likely higher in concentration than you would receive from just increasing horseradish in your diet naturally.
Horseradish storage is similar to ginger. it begins to dry up as soon as it is cut. The best time to consume it is within one or two weeks from purchase date. Once you grate it, it’s best to use it within a few days. Similar to other storage, the longer it sits, the less pungent the flavor will be. Prepared horseradish sauce is usually OK refrigerated for up to three months.
Every part of the plant from root to leaves has medicinal value, but it’s worth seeking out for its nutrition benefits alone. Free-radical fighting vitamin C is abundant in horseradish, so consuming it can fight off signs of aging on the skin, build collagen for healing muscle and bone cells, strengthen immunity and stave off inflammation, heart issues and cancer. It is richer in vitamin C than oranges or lemons.
Horseradish is rich in calcium, fiber, folate, manganese, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, and zinc. The best-researched aspect of horseradish is a component of the plant called sinigrin. Sinigrin can slow the spread of cancer, especially in the liver, through multiple mechanisms at the cellular level. Sinigrin can lessen inflammation and improve atherosclerosis (chronic inflammatory disease) by blocking or altering pro-inflammatory components of the immune system.
Research provides preliminary evidence that it may help invoke cell death in human breast and colon cancer cells, as well as prevent oxidative damage linked to free radicals. Free radicals can do major damage to the body, and consuming higher diets of antioxidant-rich foods can help eliminate or prevent this damage. Horseradish root contains a number of phytocompounds, which are antioxidants that are beneficial to human health.
If you’ve ever cooked with horseradish or chopped it up to use as a condiment, you know that cutting or crushing it releases the pungent odor it’s known for. When the root is damaged, it releases mustard oils, which are made of natural chemical compounds called glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are known to have a variety of biological functions, and that’s where the medicinal value of horseradish comes in.
These chemicals in horseradish’s mustard oil break down inside us into indoles and isothiocyanates, which are said to provide anti-cancer benefits by helping the liver rid itself of cancer-causing substances and even slowing down tumor growth. The processing, or grating, of horseradish breaks it down and helps release enzymes that make it more effective.
It can also act as an antibiotic agent, especially against E. coli bacteria. Sinigrin acts as an anti-fungal agent. It is also an antioxidant, preventing the formation of potentially disease-inducing free radicals. It has even been found to speed wound healing, when used topically.
The vegetables of the Brassicaceae family are classified as goitrogens, which means they can impair thyroid function, especially if they’re eaten raw and in large amounts. They’re perfectly fine for people with normal thyroid function to consume, but those with thyroid disease need to be careful with these vegetables, especially at medicinal levels.
As a health tonic, horseradish helps with digestion on the cellular level, from tongue to stomach to gut. It’s good for sinus trouble, not only for its antibiotic properties but also because of its heat. It helps keep toxins at bay in the bladder and stimulates urine flow to help flush anything out. A vinegar made from it is claimed to treat dandruff, and poultices made from it can help arthritis, muscle aches, and chest congestion.
Because of the antibiotic properties of horseradish, it has been used for many years in traditional medicine to treat bronchitis, sinusitis, cough and the common cold. In a German study, an herbal drug containing the root was tested against conventional antibiotics. The incredible findings showed a comparable result in treating acute sinusitis and bronchitis with the natural extract when compared to conventional treatments. One study in over 1,500 people found that a supplement containing 80 mg of dried horseradish root and 200 mg of nasturtium was as effective as a traditional antibiotic at treating acute sinus infections and bronchitis
The pungent smell of this cruciferous vegetable also helps expel mucus from the upper respiratory system to prevent infection. When taking this root vegetable for sinus problems, it may feel like you are producing excess mucus, but this can actually be beneficial. After a day or two, your body will start to rid itself of waste, which is a major step in preventing infection.
Witch Tip: Arthritis Liniment~ Put 1 cup each of melted paraffin and grated horseradish in the blender. Blend until liquefied. Rub the affected joint with the mixture and wrap loosely with a flannel cloth. Leave on overnight. Rinse off the next morning. Repeat until swelling is gone. The horseradish liniment should be stored in a tightly closed container at room temperature.
Witch Tip: If your nursing baby has a stuffy nose and can’t nurse well, grate a little horseradish and hold it up to the baby as it tries to suckle. The fumes will quickly clear the nasal passages (and the baby will probably cry for a minute because they are so strong).
Horseradish preparations can also clear lung problems, coughs, and asthma. Try it for such conditions and you will see that it is an immediate and very effective expectorant, cutting mucus and allowing you to eliminate it. Similarly it works well in respiratory ailments related to allergies, such as hayfever. You can make an infusion, sweetened with a little honey, for persistent coughs. When taken with rich food it assists digestion and when a little horseradish is taken regularly it will build up resistance to coughs and colds.
Witch Tip: Asthma Tea~ add several tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish to 1 cup milk. Simmer for 10 minutes and strain. Drink as necessary to obtain relief
Witch Tip: Horseradish honey garlic tea~
1 1-inch piece fresh horseradish, peeled and grated (1/4 cup) ¼ cup honey 2 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and coarsely chopped juice of 1 lemon Put 4 cups water on to boil. In a blender, combine the horseradish, honey, garlic and 2 Tbsp water. Process until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the blender. Scrape the puree into a bowl, and pour in the boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a teapot, and stir in the lemon juice. Drink hot, inhaling the steam deeply.
Horseradish has long been known as a stimulant for many parts of the circulatory system. It is an important immune stimulate which is used in herbal formulas to increase the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream. It is also a known antioxidant, helping to counteract the bad effects of stress and pollution in the environment. Horseradish is known to be a specific tonic for the spleen and most especially the liver, which it helps to detoxify and stimulate.
Horseradish’s pungency adds a delightful zest to many foods, most commonly red meat and seafood, in the form of classic sauces to accompany them. It should be consumed right after grating. Unless you add vinegar, it will lose its spiciness and vigor quickly.
It has a pungent flavor similar to wasabi root (rhizome), which is also known as Japanese horseradish. Both belong to the same family of plants, and wasabi paste is often even used as a horseradish substitute. Commercial wasabi used in Japanese sushi restaurants is preserved horseradish that is prepared with green food colorings. Real wasabi is a different plant altogether; it is very difficult to grow and too expensive to serve in most restaurants.
a horseradish – still life – close up
Horseradish has a few metaphysical properties as well. Horseradish should be sprinkled around the house, in corners, on the steps outside, and on doorsills. This will make all evil powers clear out, and will diffuse any spells that may have been set against you.
Grate or grind dried horseradish root and sprinkle over thresholds, corners, and any vulnerable areas to expel evil.
For hex reversals, Grate or grind dried horseradish root and Sprinkle it over your thresholds, corners, windows, and any areas perceived as vulnerable, to reverse any malevolent magic cast against a building’s inhabitants.
It can be used for purification rituals, exorcisms, and to gain courage.
Warning!Please be aware!
Use medicinally with care, as the roots may cause internal inflammation, affect the thyroid gland or, used externally, produce blisters. Also contraindication with inflammation of the gastric mucosa and with kidney disorders; not to be used by children under 4 years old. Horseradish is LIKELY UNSAFE in young children when taken by mouth because it can cause digestive tract problems.
It’s LIKELY UNSAFE to take horseradish by mouth in large amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Horseradish contains mustard oil, which can be toxic and irritating. Horseradish tincture is also LIKELY UNSAFE when used regularly or in large amounts because it might cause a miscarriage.
Horseradish can irritate the digestive tract. Don’t use horseradish if you have stomach or intestinal ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, or other digestive tract conditions. There is concern that using horseradish might make underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) worse. Talk to your doctor if you have hypothyroidism before taking horseradish.
There is concern that horseradish might increase urine flow. This could be a problem for people with kidney disorders. Avoid using horseradish if you have kidney problems. These concerns are based upon therapeutic use and may not be relevant to its consumption as a spice.
Use level: Moderate
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
Gender: Female Element: Air Planet: Mercury, Venus Zodiac Sign: Taurus Celtic Zodiac/ Date: Lunar Month: N/A Tarot: N/A Rune: N/A Ogham: N/A Crystal: N/A Deities: Aphrodite Associated Festival: N/A Chakras: Heart Birth Month: N/A Meaning: happiness Type: Herb Grows in Zone: 5-10 Plant for Bees?: Yes Natural pesticide?: No Poisonous/ Toxic: No
Oregano, also known as wild marjoram, is a member of the mint family with characteristic labiate flowers in pink or lavender. It is a bushy plant with opposite, oval-shaped leaves and the square stem shared with other mints. The stem may be woody. It usually grows to 8 to 10 inches tall. Grow in full sun with well-drained soil. Do not let the roots sit in wetness. Oregano does not need fertilizer and using it will weaken the flavor.
Plants can be propagated by seed, division or cuttings. Sprinkle seeds over the soil, and do not cover, as sunlight sparks germination. Start indoors and transplant after the danger of frost has passed. Prune monthly, clipping back flower stalks to keep the plant bushy and preventing it from bolting to seed. Once this happens, the flavor will be affected.
Different species of oregano can cross-pollinate, so if you have more than one species in your garden and collect and replant seeds the following year, you may get a surprise. Oregano dries well. Like thyme, the flavor of oregano increases with drying.
The name Oregano comes from the Greek meaning “joy of the mountains”. It grows wild on the hillsides of Greece and shepherds used to encourage their sheep to eat it, so as to improve the flavor of the meat.
It has been grown in the Mediterranean for centuries and became popular in the US after WWII. Ancient Greeks believed that oregano was a useful poison antidote and used it in poultices to treat skin irritations and infections. If oregano grew on a grave, it was an indication that the departed was happy in the afterlife. Couples were crowned with wreaths of oregano at weddings in both ancient Greece and Rome to ensure their future joy.
Traditional Chinese healers have also used oregano for generations to treat a variety of complaints. In Shakespearean times, oregano was used for just about anything. Ladies carried it to mask unpleasant odors. It was also used in a potion to enable them to see their future husband on St. Luke’s day. Oregano is a culinary herb often used in meat dishes. It Pairs well with mushrooms, tomato sauce, olives, summer squash, and fish.
Oregano oil is one of the most effective natural antibiotics known to science. Oregano is antifungal and antibacterial. It can be used for headaches, migraines, stomach upsets, colds, flus, coughs, and treatment of a UTI. Oregano is an anti-inflammatory, analgesic pain reliever for toothaches, digestive aid, relieves depression.
Oregano is a great immune support oil. Use it for viruses, infections, fungi, colds, flu, bronchitis, coughs, mold, ulcers, parasites, warts, sores, melanoma, itching skin, and MRSA.
Witch Tip: For warts, use the essential oil, apply topically 2x daily
Oregano is an antioxidant powerhouse loaded with phenols. ½ tsp of oregano has the same amount of antioxidants as a quarter cup of almonds and 4 times the antioxidant activity of blueberries. Rosmannic acid has demonstrated antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens and can be used topically as an herbal antiseptic. Oregano is rich in Vitamin K, iron, manganese, and kills e. coli, and salmonella.
Oregano contains natural antihistamines. For those with hives, or other allergy problems, try drinking a cup of tea made from equal parts oregano, tarragon, basil, chamomile, and fennel daily. If you have hay fever, then leave out the chamomile. Drink this with a meal.
Oregano added to an herbal bath will relax sore muscles and help you unwind after a stressful day. Add to massage oils for muscle aches. It helps headaches and migraines as well.
Oregano is helpful in relieving bloating, digestion/ indigestion/ gastrointestinal issues, upset stomach, and food poisoning.
Witch Tip: A cup of oregano tea can be used to soothe stomach upset, colic and many digestive complaints, nervous complaints, and coughs. It also helps prevent seasickness. It is great for soothing stomach muscles. You can also use oregano oil as a massage oil to decrease swelling on sprains and fractures.
It can also be used to help regulate the menstrual cycle. Drink some in the days leading up to when your period is due.
As with all herbs used for menstrual issues, oregano should never be used by pregnant women.
Witch Tip: Using 2tsp of fresh oregano daily during menstruation reducing or eliminates cramps, according to a Greek study. This is because this herb’s thymol and carvacral relax uterine muscles to prevent painful contractions.
A tea used as a mouthwash or rubbed into the gums is good for toothaches. Oregano is a powerful antibiotic and antifungal; oregano is highly effective against Candida and therefore makes for a great mouthwash.
It can be used as a natural cleaning agent. The leaves can be rubbed over wood as a sort of wood polish. It leaves a pleasant scent.
Use oregano for energy, increased joy, strength, vitality, and love.
It has been used for centuries in many places in love potions. Add oregano to love potions and spells to help deepen an existing relationship.
Besides love, oregano has also been used for letting go. Burn oregano incense and decorate your loved one’s grave with oregano to help you let go and to help them move on.
Growing oregano near your home is supposed to protect it from evil forces. It has also been carried as a charm for the same purpose.
Witch Tip: Grind up dried oregano and add it to your carpet sprinkle to aid in protecting your home.
For justice, burning dried oregano leaves and sending your intentions through the smoke will ensure that justice will be served.
If you need more luck, it is said dressing a candle or good luck charm with oregano essential oil will expedite good luck.
When it comes to dream magic and inducing psychic dreams, tuck oregano sprigs into your pillow or create dream sachets with dried oregano to help conjure prophetic dreams.
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
