The Great October Herbal Giveaway

October 11/18

The folks taking home herbals this month are:

Liz D - Botanical Folktales 

Mel - Southern Folk Medicine

Sharon from October Tea Society - Blackthorn's Botanical Magic

Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by to enter. If your name wasn't drawn this time, don't fret...the next giveaway is ready for you!

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When I was around eight years old I went camping with my grandparents. It was the height of summer and I excitedly ran through an open grassy expanse of land that was dotted with red clover...and bees. I inadvertently stepped on one poor creature and it stung my foot. I limped back to the campsite, tears streaming down my face, and my grandfather attempted to get the stinger out, to no avail. My grandmother took one of the potatoes we were going to be having for dinner, cut it in half and placed it over the wound. Within minutes the sharp pain had lessened and the stinger came right out. That was the moment I discovered that plants were magic.

A few years later my grandmother would teach me about gardening (weeding first, which I never enjoyed until much later in life), and the joy of growing my own food. Aside from the potato miracle of my youth, there weren't too many other folk cures that I can recall in my short number of years with her, except that a cup of orange pekoe tea made everything better (as did ginger-ale). There was always a sugar bowl on her counter (even though she would rarely let us near it), a box of Borax in the entryway, and a kitchen witch hanging in her window. I knew that there were uses beyond the mundane for these things. I wish I'd had her around longer to ask more questions of, but she gave me enough of a start with gardening to encourage a lifetime love of growing things and wild curiosity of herbal medicine and magic.

I bought three books this year that speak to the wonder of plants, their history and lore, and their potent personalities. And of course I picked up a copy of each for you too.

The first book is the absolutely enchanting Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland by Lisa Schneidau.

I’ve written a collection of folk tales with a difference: all the stories involve trees and plants. 

Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland is a story journey through the growing year, with folk tales of the land and the wild trees and plants that surround us through the seasons, in countryside, town and city. 

A lot has been written about modern and historical British plant folklore. Most of this is fragmented: for example, we know that the elder tree has always been associated with witchcraft, or that nettles should be grasped by the stem. These are interesting connections, but they are not stories. It’s my search for these stories that has led to this project.

The next book is one I have been so excited to get my hands on, since the wonderful Amy, of Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends, first announced it. I've been working with essential oils in my small apothecary for almost ten years, and I'm always thrilled to learn more about oils I adore, and to have an introduction to a handful of oils I've not used before. I love the lore, recipes and myriad uses laid out for each entry in this delightful collection!

Blackthorn's Botanical Magic by Amy Blackthorn.

Here is the first contemporary guide to the transformative powers of essential oils for use in spellcraft and the cultivation of ritual power. From rose-scented rosaries to the lingering aroma of frankincense, and the cleansing energy of white sage, Amy Blackthorn— the woman behind Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends —will take you on a journey beyond the soothing, healing power of scents into their hidden realms and their use in prayer, meditation, and shamanic journeying. One of the very first of its kind, this book includes:

• The rich history and lore of scent-related magic

• Over 135 essential oil recipes and craft projects

• An explanation of how magical aromatherapy can enhance divination with tarot and runes

• Practical information regarding the purchasing, blending, and storing of essential oils

The final book I gathered up for you is Southern Folk Medicine by Phyllis D. Light. There is a healthy emphasis on medicine in this book, with wonderful personal stories, history, and folklore of the Appalachian peoples. 

This book is the first to describe the history, folklore, assessment methods, and remedies of Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine—the only system of folk medicine, other than Native American, that developed in the United States. One of the system’s last active practitioners, Phyllis D. Light has studied and worked with herbs, foods, and other healing techniques for more than thirty years. In everyday language, she explains how Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine was passed down orally through the generations by herbalists and healers who cared for people in their communities with the natural tools on hand.

Any of these tomes would be a treasured addition to your bookshelves. There is deep wonder here and a true appreciation of nature and its magic, mystery, and healing touch.

You have until Thursday, October 11th at 9pm Pacific to drop your name in the witch's hat, via a comment (and be sure I have a way to contact you if you win) or send off an entry with the "make contact" tab above. You can let me know which book you prefer and I will do my best to pair winners with their choices, if possible.

Legal Bits:

* This giveaway (or "sweepstakes") is open to all residents of Canada, (exluding Quebec residents) the USA, Great Britain, Europe, South America,  who are 18 years of age or older. This giveaway is void where prohitibited by law.  Please be aware of the contest/sweepstakes laws in your area.

*  Canadian residents will be subject to a skill testing question before being able to claim their prize (this is standard law in Canada).  The skill testing question will be in a form similar to: 1 + 2 - 1 =

*  This giveaway is not for profit and no purchase is necessary to enter.

*  This giveaway is sponsored/administrated solely by this blog/blog author and is not affilitated with or sponsored by Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, or any other entity, nor can they be held liable.

* By leaving a comment intending to enter into the draw for the giveaway (or "sweepstakes") you are knowingly agreeing to these rules/conditions.

I have chosen all the books/cards featured this month myself.  I have not been paid to feature a book, nor have I been asked to advertise for anyone.  This giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by anyone other than Rue and Hyssop

To Drink is Divine Or, How To Divine With Your Drink - The Love and Lore of Coffee

I was reading an article last week that told of how coffee was the most recongnized scent in the world.  Not roses or lemons or lavender.  Coffee.  That intoxicating essence of roasted beans pressed or percolated into a favourite mug that fits your hands perfectly.

I was a late-bloomer when it came to drinking coffee, but I've always loved the aroma of it brewing.  I even did time as a barista for a year to help out a friend who owned a coffee shop.  I learned how a perfect espresso should look and smell, even though I didn't drink it myself.

Years later, I'm a coffee addict, trying to cut down to one cup a day.  The caffeine has become a bit hard to handle for me.  I'm working on blending in herbal fillers to my daily grind to soften the buzz without giving up on the taste.  Some of my favourite additions are roasted chicory root, roasted dandelion root, and cacao nibs.  Grind it all up with your beans and you've got a killer blend that won't have you levitating by mid-morning.  I'll do anything to not give up on coffee completely.

I envy

the cup of coffee

that gets

to kiss

your sleepy lips

awake

every cold

and bitter morning

~ Sade Andria Zabala

Coffee is much more than a delicious wake up call.  It has a varied history of culinary and magical use, as well as its own little superstitions.  Coffee grounds can be read as tea leaves are, should you want to negotiate a rather grainy cup, or you could simply read the cup as it is poured.  It has been said that if you find the bubbles in your cup (assuming your coffee is taken black and poured in a manner to induce bubbles) moving away from you, then difficulty may be heading your way.  If the bubbles appear to be moving toward you, then good fortune is sure to appear.  Or, you may simply wish to scry into your cup. It seems as though hovering over a steaming mug is a fairly common activity.

Should you want a little more oomph out of your cup, you might want to take it into a bath with you. Starr Casas of Old Style Conjure has a cleansing bath recipe that she regularly recommends.  You simply add one cup of strong, black coffee, a handful of salt (approx 4 tablespoons) and a tablespoon (or a capful) of lemon juice or ammonia to your bathwater.  Should you wish to use this as a more traditional spiritual bath, Starr advises taking the bath as the hands of your clock are moving downward, and reading Isaiah 41.

In Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic, Cathering Yronwode mentions that coffee bean husks can be used in uncrossing baths as well.  If you do roast your own beans and have an abundance of hulls and chaff (and aren't saving them all for baths,) they make a divine-smelling mulch for the garden.

Coffee fans love to boast about the health benefits of the bean.  Full of antioxidants, coffee has lately been touted as a great protector from nasties such as liver cancer, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Research is, as ever, on-going, but there's another department in which coffee testing is showing glowing results - skincare.

Caffeine is a stimulant that increases blood flow, and it has been found to work topically.  Tannins found in coffee tighten and tone the skin.  That's great news when you want to pass on the exorbitantly priced scrubs at the beauty counter and instead create your own with ingredients you can find in your cupboard.  Coffee can be used all over the body (be gentle on your face,) as well as in a hair mask or rinse if you are a brunette.

For a super-simple coffee scrub, use a cup of fresh ground coffee and add grapeseed oil (or olive or sweet almond) very slowly.  Blend the scrub until you have a crumbly mix (too much oil will be hard to remove from your body and will cause a very slippery shower!)  You can also add sugar if you like, or substitute your favourite body wash for the oil.  Scrub away once or twice a week - you'll have baby soft skin for barely the price of a latte.

Whether you are drinking it, bathing in it, or divining your future with it, coffee is one divine ingredient in our mundane and magical cupboards that is not likely to be ignored any time soon.

Coffee folklore, baths and more can be found:

"Folklore of the Holy Land..." by J.E. Hanauer - Chapter "About Coffee"

"The Conjure Workbook, Volume 1 - Working the Root"  by Starr Casas

"Cafi Nation: Coffee Folklore, Magic, and Divination" by Sandra M. Posey

Picture via Creative Commons

Fearless

"When I was a child, I was fearless.  I knew that I could do anything.  If I had friends over and they didn't want to play my games, I sent them home.  My mother was horrified at times.  But I knew what I wanted.  I was confident and sure of myself.  Until I grew up and lost that fearlessness, piece by piece, as others took it from me."

"But we let them," I said.

"Yes.  But now I want it back."

~snippet of a conversation I had with my best friend last night

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

As a child, we learn lessons about practical fear.  Fear associated with touching a hot stove, lest we get burned.  Fear about accepting rides from strangers.  But somewhere along the way, the lessons about fear become less worldly wisdom, and more about how we might fit in with society, make friends, find a mate.

Some people operate from a place of fear all the time. 

"What would other people think if I did this?"  

"What if I'm wrong/look foolish/am not accepted?"

"What if there is not enough?"

"What if I'm not enough?"

That last one, had a hold of me for years.  Once I realized what I was happening, I fluctuated between feeling angry that I hadn't valued myself enough and feeling sadness and loss for the girl that wasted so much time feeling those things.  And still, still, they pop up.  Those nagging doubts, those little snickers after I've been on an "I can do anything" high for a while.  The difference between then and now is, when the dust settles, I realize that I don't believe that voice anymore.

"Do you hear me?  I'm not afraid anymore!"

Yes, I just quoted Kevin, from Home Alone.

I have done fearless things in my life.  Jumped out of a plane. Started businesses. Took solo road trips to unknown places.  Said "why the hell not?" when I wanted to run the other direction.  But I don't think that those things make a person fearless.  I think fearless is a muscle that you have to exercise until it becomes an automatic state of being.

I think it's practicing the getting-up-one-more-time-than-you-fall mindset.  I think it's the "Wow - see this fabulous mistake, this foolishly huge error in judgment?  That's mine. And I'm going to learn from it.  And I'm going to endeavor not to repeat that. But I'm not going to beat myself up about it."  It's hearing that voice that likes to tell you all the things you are not, and telling it to fuck off.  And maybe for a moment you feel less-than.  Maybe for a moment you feel not enough.  But then you shake that shit off, and move along - move ahead.  Because that's not who you are anymore.  

Now, you are becoming fearless.

Hair - Practices in Custom and Culture

I have been trying to pay more attention to my habits - why I do the things I do.  Some questions I have been asking include: Which things have become routine?  Is there meaning there, or merely the comfort of habit?

One of the habits I’ve accumulated over the past 5 years or so, that I’m finally taking some time to look at, is a hair-removal routine.  Each month, just as my body begins its custom of releasing and cleansing, I take some time and go through a hair removal ritual.  I don’t touch the hair on my forearms or head, but all other hair on my body is removed. It is a completely separate entity from my regular beauty routine.  It’s not about beauty at all.  It is simply a recognizing and a gentle nod to the process occurring in my body at that time.

A friend of mine from Bangladesh has told me that she too has a similar routine, but in their culture the hair removal comes after the cycle is complete.  It is more of a ‘fresh start’ custom for women.

Taking a quick look at other cultures, I’ve found that many have customs surrounding hair and its removal or retention.

From a social stance, ancient cultures had hair removal practices both as a sign of beauty (in Greece and Egypt) and as a practical way to keep healthy, such as with tribes people who wear little clothing and may be exposed to insects such as lice or ticks.  Although it has been observed that this custom may also be partly related to an idea of desirability, even in tribal culture.

Another social instance of hair removal is the practice or removing facial hair or the hair of the head and body as a sign of grief.  In some cultures it is expected that the grieving would remove their hair or even contribute hair to the deceased’s tomb.  Or, in the case of the Chinese, the families of the deceased would not cut their hair for 49 days after a death.

Moving over to spirituality-based reasons for hair removal, the Buddhist monks are a well-known example. They are required to shave their face, eyebrows and heads as a nod to Siddhartha who by rejecting his outward self, would eventually find enlightenment and become Buddha.

In Islam, law dictates that Muslims remove underarm and pubic hair as a hygienic practice (also seen as cosmetic.)

In Sikhism hair is never cut, as a sign of respect and gratitude to God.  Hair is wrapped in a turban and let down to comb twice daily with a comb called a Kanga.

In many ethnic groups, we begin to see that over time the younger generations adopt more modern ideas of what is appropriate for them spiritually and in society.  Many young Sikhs cut their hair and modern Jews forgo the “peyos” or long sideburns common in Hasidic practice.

In Western culture today, hair removal is almost exclusively seen as cosmetic.

For me, acknowledging my body and its rhythms and participating in my own releasing practice feels like an offering to myself.  Not to a god or in exchange for enlightenment.  Just a simple gift to my own body and spirit.



Update: This post triggered interesting dreams for me, one of which was a reminder about a dear friend who, being a devout Christian once, vowed to never cut her hair short as a tribute to Mary's humility, when she washed Jesus' feet in this verse:

"Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard,  anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair."  John 12, Verse 3 (NKJ)

Hair was extremely valuable in biblical times and another verse (and story) that always struck me as fascinating was that of Absalom.

"But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
And when he cut the hair of his head, (for it was at every year's end that he cut it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he cut it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight."  2 Samuel 14:25-26  (NKJ)

In those days, the hair of the king was considered the most valuable and sold for the highest price, but Absalom's hair was so beautiful that it garnered the same worth as the king's (his father.)  Absalom's tale is one of grief, anger, vanity and betrayal.  In this, his beauty seems to be a cautionary tale against vanity.

The most popular Bible story regarding hair would likely be that of Samson and his ultimate undoing by Delilah.

I keep my own hair long because after having cut it short a time or two, I've found that longer hair is a more suitable style for me. But I have also found that over the years of battling body image, my hair is the one part of me I could find pleasing and feminine and sometimes, powerful.



Information presented in this post found:
The Encyclopedia of Hair Removal
China Culture
Real Sikhism
About Judaism
Hair Removal Forum
Photos from Wiki Commons

Tincturing

Tinctures are a wonderful way to experience herbal medicine, but buying tinctures at the store can be expensive. Why not make your own?

You can create your own tinctures using fresh or dried plant material. Some herbalists insist on only using fresh plants, believing that medicines and energy are lost in the drying process, while others maintain that using dried plants for tinctures are better than not tincturing at all. You will have to decide what works for you.

For a tincture, you will need:

~80-100 proof vodka or rum ("Proof" is determined by doubling the percentage. So, 40 percent alcohol is 80 proof.)
~Clean, sterilized jar with lid
~Plant material
~Cheesecloth or unbleached cotton cloth
~Dose/dropper bottles

*Please note: if you cannot imbibe small amounts of alcohol, you can use water or vinegar, but these will then be called “extracts.”

If you are using fresh plant material, fill your jar with the plant (but don’t stuff or press down) and then fill the jar with the alcohol. If you are using dried material, use about an ounce of plant to a pint (or approx 500 ml) of alcohol. To eyeball it - fill jar about 1/3 with plant material. I’ve heard of people filling a jar with considerably more than that - but you will find what works for you.

Make sure your alcohol completely covers your herbs/plants. If there is some evaporation, add more alcohol. You don’t want to encourage mould or bacterial growth.

Shake your bottle daily for the first week or two, and then shake weekly. Allow this to sit for six weeks, or longer if using dried plant material. If you are using dried plants, the longer you leave it sit, the better.

When you are ready to bottle your tincture, strain it through the cheesecloth and place in dropper bottles and label. Store in a cool, dark place and your tinctures should last years.

A few great plants to tincture include:

Echinacea
St. John’s Wort
Skullcap
Dandelion

Tinctures can be taken under your tongue or diluted in water or juice. Dosages can be anywhere from 3-30 drops 1-3 times a day. If you are unsure how much of your tincture to use, do a quick search online, consult a herbalist or check out Susun Weed’s website or books for great herbal information.

Happy tincturing!

Wellness in The Winter

Keeping myself healthy during the Winter is always an ongoing project.  I'm a hibernator by nature, so when the weather turns cold and grey, I'd rather huddle indoors than venture out.  All the more reason to get out for a walk each day - even if that means wearing ten layers to stay warm!  The brisk air is a great tool for enlivening my energy, and there is nothing better than a little time outdoors to help me make it through the long, dark season until Spring arrives and I can have my hands in the dirt again.

As cozy as our homes are in the cold months, they can become dry, stale environments in no time when the heat is on, and the windows are closed.  Consider opening your windows once each day, even for a few minutes, to circulate some fresh air through the house.

To combat the dry, heated air indoors, get yourself a humidifier.  Or even better - save some energy and hang your wet laundry above heating vents and in front of fireplaces (a safe distance, of course!)  The radiating heat will dry your clothes and release moisture into the air.

And don't forget to give yourself a bit of extra moisture too.  Drink plenty of water, give yourself a steam facial with a few drops of eucalyptus oil to open your sinuses or drop some flowers or essential oils in a foot bath and enjoy the relaxing soak.

This drawing-inward time of year is a great time to get back to your meditation practice.  Why not rid yourself of some of that post-holiday stress, and do your heart and mind some good.  If you are new to meditation, get yourself a guided cd to help you ease into it, or simply check out YouTube for some easy ten minute meditations to get you started.

This is a great time of year to boost your immune system too.  Get vitamins, minerals and antioxidants by eating plenty of root vegetables.  Easily found during the Winter, beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnip and other root veggies offer a dose of goodness while the gardens are sleeping.  Supplement with herbs and spices to keep your system warm and happy.  Add some Turmeric to your chicken and rice dishes for it's anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.  Sprinkle some Cayenne pepper on your omelette and make your circulatory system very happy!

Now is the time to use those herbs you dried this Summer in a healing tea.  My current favourite is a simple blend of Nettle (aids kidney & liver function,) Rosehips (high in vitamin C) and Red Clover (aids in women's health & blood circulation.)

Although the light is returning, those of us in Northern or seasonal climates still have the cold to contend with.  So give yourself a little extra TLC this Winter and sail through the dark months with ease.  Oh - and don't forget to nap!  The bears know the benefit of this Winter activity, and it's a soothing treat we rarely give ourselves.  Indulge, and enjoy the Winter.


*All photos on this post except the first photo, courtesy of Stock.Xchng - free stock photos.