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Nettles Soup recipes

January 16, 2012 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

Of course – a warm wintry soup!

 What a way to enjoy your infusion of Nettles.

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Lentil Nettles Soup, served with 3 pieces of 1/2 toast: sesame-lavendar-honey, ghee, apricot jam.

Lentils ‘n’ Nettles

inspired by M.Y.

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shallot, yellow onion, garlic

lentils

vegetable stock

infusion of nettles

carrot, kale, veg-etc (optional)

cayenne, sage, sweet marjoram, basil, kelp flakes

(and/or your favorite spices)

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- Rinse lentils thoroughly (can soak for 4hrs up to overnight, but not necessary. decreases cooking time)

- Simmer lentils according to specific cook times (red lentils cook faster and becomes mushy, thickening the soup. french lentils and yellow lentils will stay firm and require longer cooking time)

- Cook your alliums (onion and shallot first) to your liking, add garlic and heat them up slightly.

- Add veggie stock and alliums to the lentils and simmer until the lentils have absorbed some of the stock.

- Add your Nettles infusion (as much as you’d like – the more the merrier!) along with your favorite herbs & spices* and heat until the perfect temperature to eat!

*Add your dried cayenne just before serving as this is the best way to receive its medicinal benefits (and cayenne can be found in varying degrees of hotness)

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Wild Rice, Wild Nettles soup: served with the Doctor's Seedlander "crispbreads"

  Wild Rice, Wild Nettles

tonight, I wildly experiment

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garlic

wild rice

potatoes (your choice! try sweets)

coconut milk

nettles infusion

carrots, corn, peas (or your veggies @ hand)

curry spices!

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- Cook your Wild Rice first, it takes longer than white rice and will turn the water colors!

- Cut your potatoes into cubes and cook them in a frying pan to maintain shape

- When rice is almost done, Add garlic to the rice and turn down heat

- Add coconut milk and spices to the rice (curry powder or paste, turmeric, s & p, kelp flakes, basil) agave nectar and tamari.

- Add the potatoes when fully cooked and the Nettles infusion – simmer and blend your cauldron until desired temp!

- Serve with a pinch of dried cayenne powder and a squeeze of a lime

* When reheating this soup the next day, I found it to be very thick from the coconut milk, so I added 2 cups of veggie stock to my dinner bowl : )  yum!

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bag o' nettles

*A tip for spring harvesting – when drying the fine nettles tops, place them spread out across the bottom of a well-ventilated basket (laundry basket, bread basket, anything with lots of small holes on the bottom) and dry them whole.  Store them in a paper bag when dried – rehydrating them later will bring back the sweet tops into a delicious treat in your soup.

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health from the hearth,

Herbaloo

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Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , | 2 Comments »

a year with Stinging Nettles – Urtica dioica materia medica

January 3, 2012 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

To gather materials from our local surroundings,

bringing them forth with conscious intelligence:

To thrive in places that flourish with respect and “positive” Earth:

To nurture Nature and symbiotically nurture yourself:

This is the way of the Nettle.


When brewing Tea, I’ve been making myself a now & later (tea for now, an infusion for later).  I like combining Nettles and Tulsi to accompany while I write.  This year allowed me to gather many knowledge molecules from the Nettle.  Now I plant them for you here, to grow and nourish.

 

Internal Nettles Medicine: Infusion Experiment

-          As an internal tonic: prepared as an infusion, taught by Susun Weed

-          Chock full of vitamins and minerals: Gaia’s “One-A-Day”

-          Stimulating and nourishing to the kidneys

-          anti-histamine/ allergies/ reducing inflammation

-          mamas-to-be can drink Nettles tea

I have been slowly but surely getting Nettles into my regular routine.  I made my last quart of my dried wild-crafted Nettles from VT tonight.  Moving on to a shipment from Mountain Rose Herbs, their Nettles are certified organic and sourced from Hungary (?).  I crave the infusion now, and really look forward to drinking it.  Comforting.  I especially like to drink it the last week of my moon cycle, to replenish the blood and give my body what it needs for the next moon phase.  Nettles infusions are also a great tonic for those who need more micro and macro nutrients in their diet.

External Nettles Medicine: The Sting of a Nettle

-          Arthritis and other inflammatory joint issues (like cures like!)

-          Weak circulation

-          I have a strong urge to incorporate it into a facial cleanser or toner

-          Lovely when included into a hair tonic / shampoo to reduce dandruff and enhance color (and prevent baldness?)

Oh how I love a good Nettles sting!  The wake-up shock and continual reminder through itchiness is right up my ally.  I’ve connected more so with the Nettles sting than its ingestion.  I enjoy dabbing them on my skin, giving a little tap-slap-whip, whenever I came across them in the wild.

I had an interesting conversation with an artist who experienced a giant Nettle in Australia and was told to avoid it – known to cause demise if the skin is stung or the hairs inhaled into the lungs.  I surfed the web and found the plant she speaks of: the Australian or Tree Nettle.  It is also a member of the Urticacea family.  However, it is of a different genus and species – Laportea moroides, and is not the same Nettles I am discussing here (Urtica dioica).  Though I do take caution now and remember this story while working with dried Nettles.

Sometimes the Nettles stings ya, and sometimes it don’t.

If it wants to it will, and if it doesn’t it won’t.

Deeper in the woods, where not many pass,

I find the Nettles to be stronger & longer to last.

A friendly patch you know of, you’ve maybe said hello,

Will brush up against you with a stingless mellow.

But if you ask it nicely, and slap it on your wrist,

The sting is present, curative and granting of your wish.

 * * * There are copious amounts of information out there about Nettle’s healing properties internally and topically.  It’s quite the magical plant, and useful in many ways.  I suggest taking a look at Matthew Wood’s book “The Book of Herbal Wisdom” or any other work by a trusted herbalist.  You’ll be amazed at what you find!!  Or, you can ask the Nettles plant directly.  I continue to find more uses for Nettles everyday, so you will continue to see the plant added to recipes! * * *

Nettles as Fertilizer

You may have heard of Biodynamic Farming, interpreted by Rudolph Steiner.  On the website biodynamics.com they describe Steiner’s studies as “the conclusion that western civilization would increasingly bring destruction to itself and the earth if it did not begin to incorporate an objective understanding of the spiritual world and its interrelationship with the physical world.  Steiner’s spiritual scientific methods and insights have given birth to practical holistic innovations in many fields including education, banking, medicine, psychology, the arts and, not least, agriculture.”  He’s actually quite a hero of mine.  And I can relate to his seemingly “kooky” theories (they all seem a bit otherworldly when speaking on speaking to plants…)!

Biodynamic Farming is a conscious act of farming with the planetary forces of the Galaxy.  In one aspect, you utilize the phases of the moon and its water pulling abilities to maximize your planting and harvesting.  For instance, the Full Moon pulls water to the surface of the Earth – so you harvest any fruiting above-ground plants at the Full Moon if you want them to be watery/juicy (like tomatoes!).  If you want to harvest roots, you do so during the New Moon when water (and nutrients) are pulled down to the center of the Earth.  You can also tie in the location of the planets, etc to further your cosmic gardening.

Rudolph Steiner worked with plants on a chemical level, and noticed that certain plants and their ability to gather nutrients had a profound affect on soil processes as well as plant health.  He made biodynamic preparations or “preps” that involve putting herbs in the horns of certain animals and burying them on certain cosmic alignment days for so many days, and unearthing them at the exact moment that gives them their highest potential.  There is a rhyme and reason behind all of the steps, which, given the time and resources, I could dig.

For now I take the simpler route and work with the herbs Steiner mentions as being best for the compost.  These herbs allow the compost to utilize nutrients and break down efficiently the scraps which are brewing within the mixture.  From OregonsWildHarvest.com: “[The preps] are usually fermented and then applied in very small proportions to compost piles, to the soil or sprayed directly onto the plants. Creating these preps sounds almost mystical however it is proven to not only work but to be based in the new spiritual scientific approach to working with the earth.  The original biodynamic (BD) preparations are numbered 500-507.”

Nettles is an important part of Biodynamic Farming.

  prep BD504 as they sell it.

“This preparation is made from the whole Stinging Nettle plant before it flowers. The prep helps in decomposition by working on the nitrogen content of the compost. It aids chlorophyll formation and stimulates iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur activity in the soil. Stinging nettle promotes soil health, providing plants with the individual nutrition components they need and thus creating more nutrients in the plants themselves. Used homeopathically, one teaspoon treats 10 tons of compost!” (oregonswildharvest.com)

Makes sense since Nettles prefer to grow in very fertile soil.  It’s actually a sign that your soil is in good health if you have Nettles growing.  They prefer the yummy soil so they can soak up the nutrients and pass them on to you (and the compost pile!).

Nettles Meditation

My year spent with Stinging Nettle has brought forth two significant mantras:  To be aware/conscious/intentional.  (I have not mastered this but I am more so than when I started)    And:    Nourishment is the essence of life.  (To be malnourished is to be stuck.  One can not move, literally, without nourishment)

In September I went to Zack Woods Herb Farm in Hyde Park, VT and romped around their fields, meditating with various varieties and seeing the medicinal herbs in farm-cohesion.  I joked with the Plant Spirit, in all seriousness, and started giggling while exclaiming “Nettles Hug”.  The Nettles at Zack Woods were very sharp and the sting was nothing to mess with.  I gave an aura hug to the plant and was stung on the sly quite a few times.  It was worth it.  I was able to find myself deep in the Earth and amongst the largest patch of Nettles I’ve seen.  Thank you to the Vermont herb growers hor holding such a space.

I have been fortunate enough to be provoked into meditation by the Nettle for a little short and sweet.  A few tid-bits told here and there while walking the woods or enjoying the backyard.  The first being the surface meanings: taking time to be conscious of their presence when walking the woods, and knowing that intention can be part of the medicine.

This theme of being conscious mirrors the actual act of meditating with the Nettles.  As if the goal of meditating is really to be in the present moment and not to drift off into dream land as often.  To have what I need at hand to carpe diem.  In conscious waking life, the Nettles meditations gave me the confidence and ability to pass along the wonders of the plant to those who also walk the waking path.  Yes.  Consciousness.  Boom, Shiva!  Consciousness and Process.  Processing literally as the plant does.  Attracting positive nutrients, processing them into its own self, and then releasing through process. The Doctrine of Signatures never ceases to amaze me.  I find it useful to connect a plant’s physical features with its healing capabilities by drawing it – and of course I went through a stint of drawing the Nettles plant, passing on her Spirit gift to those who spared paper and pen for the creation.

Nettles is an herb that I will continue to bring along with me in life.  Our relationship has developed slowly in the Spirit sense, but with great pleasure and passion.  My meditations have taught me to appreciate the process.  Waiting for the herbs to infuse for several hours – learning the patience associated with getting to know someone or something well – constant nourishment to achieve greatness and optimal health.  Writing and processing my thoughts and experience over this past year is wonderful.  I hadn’t realized how much I’d learned and felt, how the Nettles brought medicine which coincided with my healing journey over the past year.  Twirling, twirling, twirling.  Sister Spinster.  Softly stroking my face with a sweet loving touch.

Not every plant communicates in the same manner: Something an Earth Apprentice learns through many Spirit conversations.

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Dearest Nettles, you fill my heart and body’s desires.  Thank you for being in arm’s length, and showing me where you grow.  Thank you for keeping me well and bringing the nutrients of the soil to my blood and soul.  Sweet Blessings to you and your kind, may we continue to dance gently along the Earth together.

Give Thanks and Praise for Nettles

Namaste Sweet Urtica

~

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Posted in Herbal Experiments, Materia Medica, Meditations, Nettles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Herbs to Illuminate the Darkness { Ervas para iluminar a Escuridão }

December 22, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

Nice Night for a Walk - Peter Vidani

This Autumn slope into Winter may have been the most moving one yet for me.  While the leaves fell, I too went softly down to the depths of my Soul.  Searching for the glow that keeps me shining.  It’s not that it went out entirely, but I was stifling it with thoughts and emotions that seemed to be natural – but were unnecessary.

The dark days of the year are for entering into hibernation, and crawling into your bear cave to find warmth, comfort and reflect upon your inner contents.  What do your chambers hold?  We are only half way through our deep descent to the feminine yin aspect of the year.  And the crawl out of hibernation to Summer seems to happen much slower.  It’s somewhat easy to glide down a mountain, but making your way back up takes strength and courage – and time.  So while you experience this climb to the top – here are a few herbs to help illuminate your path.

Dreams of Space - artist unknown

The list of herbs below were taken from the lecture by Guido Mase “Joyful Herbs for Darker Days” which I only heard bits and pieces of.  So I went ahead here and gave my own experiences and uses for the plants.  Quite cosmic to be revisiting the topic, seeing as I was über excited to hear the lecture – these are truly my favorite category of herbs!)

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borrowed from sacredfrankincense.com

Frankincense – Boswellia sacra :

An ancient, sacred tree resin that has been used par fumer (perfume/incense) for cleansing and to dispel torpor.  Aromatherapy is my favorite way to enjoy the resin.  It was included in the gifts that the Wise Men brough to the baby Jesus, too …

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Holy Basil aka Tulsi aka Tulasi aka the Divine Sacred Breath

Tulsi – Ocimum sanctum  :

As you may have read previously on the blog, Tulsi is an adaptogenic herb lending itself useful in times of stress.  I enjoy drinking Tulsi tea, and will use the oil extract in capsule when its available.  (for more info read my materia medica on Tulsi -  herbaloo.org/2010/09/18/holy-basil-its-tulsi/ )

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borrowed from soenyun.com

White Sage – Salvia apiana  :

Another herb used par fumer, White Sage is held sacred as a cleansing herb by the Southwest natives and any Soul-searching Earth-lover in the neighborhood.  Eileen Nauman (medicinegarden.com) has a neat description of how it works, “Sage emits negative ions; just as a waterfall or running water, emits the same thing. This is why, when people are near running water, they always feel cleaner, cleaned off or just ‘better’ for seeming no reason at all. But there is a deeper reason. Our aura holds positive ions, much like a carpet when you walk across it, creates static electricity. Only, these positive ions are like dust in our aura and it simply makes us feel sluggish, tired, or just not our usual frisky, peppy self.”  Not sure of her source, or if that explanation is true, but it sure sounds like a great way to envision the cleansing action from the Sage.

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borrowed from Deutschland...

Mimosa – Albizia julibrissin  :

I had never heard of this plant before Guido brought it up.  One website is calling it the “Collective Happiness Bark”.  Delightful!  I recall Guido giving high praise to this plant for instances of depression and sadness.  Looks like it’s a tree whose bark you harvest.  Guido was using the distilled Spirit.  You know what is so strange?!  I saw a plant growing in Asia which the folks there refered to as “Mimosa”.  When I returned back to the states I found the seeds for sale at a kid’s science shop.  The producer called it the “Tickle-Me Plant” because the leaves literally move before your eyes when you brush up against it.  The Asian woman who owned the shop had grown up calling it the “bow plant”, because its leaves come together like hands praying and bowing to you.  Now this Mimosa plant I speak of is a different genus and species (Mimosa pudica – Bashful Mimosa).  But it looks like Guido’s Mimosa – Albizia julibrissin, only on a much smaller scale: similar pink flowers and leaf structure. So about a week ago (yes 1 week ago it started getting cold) I was getting out my winter hats and gloves, etc, and I found a seed of the Bashful Mimosa clinging on to one of my hats like a prickly pea-pod.  I don’t have the original plant anymore, nor the seeds, so finding it was really a blessing.  And now it all comes back ….  Oh so ironic and coincidental … could it be any other way?

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Sunny Jey Wort

St. John’s Wort – Hypericum perforatum  :

Sir Sunny.  Sunny J.  That which lets light shine through its perforated leaves.  I have a lot of love for St. John’s Wort.  I prefer to use the oil externally, wherever I feel like massaging.  The yellow flower petals, when crushed, produce a pink/red oil.  Quite magical!  And I wrote about the herb last year on the Solstice as well!  ( herbaloo.org/2010/12/21/yule-love-it/ )

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borrowed

Rhodiola – Rhodiola rosea  :

Living on the top of a cliff, in between two rocks.  Rhodiola is one of the toughest plants I know.  It can handle anything, and fatigue is no match for its succulent tendencies.  This plant can be used for adrenal support and stress relief.  Small doses help you stay awake, larger doses put you to sleep.  Or so I’ve read.  It advised me the other day to take it as soon as I open my eyes in the morning.  To jolt me out of bed on these cold & dark mornings ; )

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borrowed from Otto Wilhelm Thomé

Lemon Balm – Melissa officinalis  :

During a recent herbal consultation my Naturopath-in-training said Lemon Balm is itself like the Worker Bee – buzzing from plant to plant, completing one flower’s pollen collection at a time.  One task at a time.  Efficiency and motivation.  Buzz.  I like Lemon Balm, it grows well in my neck-of-the-Earth and makes a really yummy tea!  My mother also has a really cute way of harvesting it and knowing it could be used for something useful, then calling it Lemon Verbena.  So precious!  Lemon Balm speaks in soft tones and is always ready to lend a hand.  Very friendly herb.

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Rosa Rugosa - borrowed from wildflowerhunter.net

Rose – the genus Rosa  :

I have been SO loving Rose lately.  I like to wear really strong true Rose essential oil and aromatize a whole room.  99% of the time people are very excited that it suddenly smells like a flower’s in bloom.  I will even start putting it on people unsuspectingly if I’m in a stinky crowd!  Rose is like that sweet soul lover you dream of.  Rose will be anyone’s Soul-Mate and speaks to the heart, skin, hair, oh everything.  Having it in drinking tea or bath tea is also quite delightful.  Everyone could use a little Rose in their life  : )  Even meditation can be beneficial with the Rose.  Experiment with different colors and varieties to see which you fall the most in love with.  And – try adding Rose Water while cooking. Yum!  The Rose Hips of Rosa Rugosa are edible and can be made into jam (add rose hips and apple juice to a jar and let sit over night).  This type of Rose grows wild down the by da beach.

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borrowed from philadelphiagreen.wordpress.com

White Pine – Pinus strobus  :  I Pine for you.

White Pine boughs have been used in religious ceremonies during the darkest days since we began time.  Conifers in general are very popular this time of year, bringing them in the house to suggest eternal-life and the ability to stay green and full of life in the dead of winter.  Kind of ironic to chop it down.  We decorate a living tree…  But back to White Pine, the tea is very high in Vitamin C and I can imagine curling up on a bed of pine needles, or laying them across your floor, might be quite enjoyable!  Pam Montgomery has an affinity for White Pine and lots of information on the gentle giant.  Meditating under a White Pine during the winter can be unexplainably amazing.  Even unconsciously you can benefit from just being around Pine trees.  You can recognize it by its commonly straight-as-an-arrow trunk – and it’s needles grow in little pairs of 5 from the branch (like fingers!).

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borrowed from foods-for-thought-list.blogspot.com

Oats – Avena sativa  :

I always end up with Oats in my nourishing formulas when other herbalists make them for me.  It’s a safe plant that can almost always be of benefit for a woman.  Milky Oats, the top immature seed-head, is nourishing to the reproductive system.  Oat Straw, I hear, can have a positive influence on your love life and stamina/regularity of such.  I like Oats in tea, but I’ve also used Oats in a tincture blend.  And I just LOVE hot Oatmeal on cold dark nights!  Or could dark mornings …  The shape of the seed head and the sound they make in the field when they are dried:  Mmmm music to my senses.  They are commonly used as a cover crop, and if you know a friendly Farmer who uses them you may just be able to harvest a bit before they hay.  Certainly reminds me of sunshine & summer.  : )

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Well – !!!  My New Moon manifestation is to have more time to meditate and be creative, and connect with the Earth and with myself.  I am so pleased to be back experimencing as Herbaloo!  The blog’s birthday was December 9th and the Nettles experiment is coming to a close.  I am having a hard time letting go of Urtica as my experimence-tea! (pun intended)  But slowly I tinker away at a somewhat lengthy (but navigate-able) materia medica of the Stinging Nettle.  Then I will be moving on to this next year’s experiment…  Stay Tuned!

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Here’s a little Solstice Shine & Love for you and yours.

Yuletide Blessings!

Cordially,

Herbaloo

xoo

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Mason Jar of Nature

November 7, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

It seems as though my time spent on the Herbaloo path has been limited – but alas – I am quite a busy bee with the herbal nature of things in my life.  Working for an herbal supplements company changes what I do in my free time.  Lately it’s been singing . . .

Here’s a special glimpse of the writer behind the blog (for you lovely loyal folks!)

 

 

I have many blog posts in the works – and the ideas keep popping up like weeds!  With the change in the number of evening daylight hours and time spent outdoors I look forward to many stories shared on the blog from adventures new and old.  Stay tuned!

Muito Amor

Herbaloo

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let the beauty of the plant affect you – s.h.b.

October 8, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

“Now, let the beauty of the plant affect you. Notice how much you care for it. Send out from your heart the love you feel. Encoded in the complex, multivaried field of your heart are the feelings of caring you are now generating. And the plant, like all life, will take them in, respond to them, altering its communications in turn.

“You will feel yourself slowing down as you do this, beginning to breathe more deeply as this progresses. This is the sign that you are moving more deeply into the heart as an organ of perception. Your entire physiological functioning is altering.

“your eyes will become soft focused

“your breathing slow and deep

“As you develop your sensitivity, you can feel the plant begin to move toward you, respond to you, engage with you, entrain your heart. You can tell, when you pay close attention, the moment when the two of you have established rapport…

“In the moment, send a request out from the deepest recesses of yourself. Ask the plant how you can use it as medicine. Tell it of your need.

“Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough George Washington Carver

“There will be a response. Though you may have to pay attention to your body, your feelings, and the odd stray thoughts or pictures that pop into your mind to receive it. Sometimes a phrase will, of itself, emerge into the mind…Or perhaps a picture will flash on the field of your interior vision…Or you will breathe deeply. Or a flush of relaxation will flow through your body and your skin begin to tingle.

“or perhaps all of these”

From Stephen Harrod Buhner’s book The Secret Teachings of Plants pages 157-158.  Also titled The intelligence of the heart in the direct perception of Nature.

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may your heart listen patiently, and may the plants whisper wonders

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xoo

 

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The Seasons, they are a-changin

September 23, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

Alphonse Mucha's 'seasons' in French

Bumble bee on Sedum

Grass hopper on Stashmint

hoppoh

Brown flyer on Sedum

Happy Autumnal Equinox

may your spectrum be balanced

with wings and roots

love, herbaloo

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Two herbs are better than one?

August 2, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

It got me started when Yarrow would only come around with Queen Anne’s Lace.  My local lovers. Oh to be anywhere and know your names, my heart sings for you.  two.

While meditating to the Plant Spirits today I felt another plant combination coming forth – the Plant I was looking to speak with mentioned another Herb Spirit.  Nudging that they both be recognized.  When diagnosing or curing something with herbs I find many plants whose medicine could be fitting and wonder: is it better to concentrate on taking one specific plant for the cure, or should I use several different plants together, in order to cover all the areas of dis-ease?  During a recent Guido Mase lecture he confirmed my suspicions that it can be quite wise and beneficial to take several herbs at once.  (Whether that be together in one formula, or several herbs throughout the day.)

So I’m beginning to see that my herb friends will come in pairs – hang out in pairs – show up at the same time.  It was confusing at first – trying to reach out to an herb spirit and being confronted with a different herb, saying “you must speak with me before you see them.  they don’t want to see you right now.”  Good thing I listened, in time.  My herbal allies were only teaching me that they’re willing to speak if you’ll listen.  Queen Anne had me bow to her and give her my full attention, before I could dance again with Yarrow.  White Yarrow sends his love while Pink Yarrow brings me her undying efforts of unity.  So graceful and cheery.  I love Achillea millefolium, and must thank Ms Daucus for my reacquaintance.

In a meditation past, Queen Anne and I met in her native land of India.  While in this form she shared the name India Bindi with me.  Quite lovely.  I am planning a future post for the gathering of the Queen – she’s in bloom now and is showing her colors.  If you see a safe patch of Daucus carota (identify wisely) and she has a red center bindi, then tag her neck with a string for collection in the Autumn.  Her wisdom of contraception is present and ready for the masses.

with love and blessings

herbaloo

several herbs to a remedy

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What’s the Mallow?

July 25, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

A second time in my life when a mallow continues to grow in abundance in the cracks of sidewalks and such.  The variety in Arizona had peach-colored flowers and is named Globe Mallow.  The one here in Vermont is pretty in pink and sporting flowers like a hibiscus.  They remind me of Prim Rose.  It even grows down in Rhode Island, though I don’t remember seeing it, say, four years ago.  I’ve been wondering lately if I would begin to see trends in wild flowers through my lifetime.   The seasons seem to be shifting…

But I digress.

5 Petals on the flower, deeply lobed leaves with rounded ‘teeth’ along its edge.  Like the five-finger Potentilla her leaves are lobed nearly like fingers.  I am no longer in possession of a Newcomb’s guide and my Peterson medicinal and edible guides are much more efficient if you’ve got the plant identified already.  So with my magic-future-cyber-book (aka the ol’ laptop) I google “pink wildflower mallow vermont july” and there she shows up in a variety of photos.

I am reminded that this particular mallow’s that of the musk – Malva moschata – “Musk Mallow”.  Peterson Field Guides “Edible Wild Plants” describes it as 5 petals with stamens in bushy columns…and that it’s an “okralike thickener” which can be used to thicken just about anything.  For this you would use the leaves or tender new shoots.  Okra is in the mallow family as well – Malvaceae – and apparently so is Cotton.

I’m not seeing a whole lot documented on the medicinal actions of this plant.  I feel a burst of unconditional love reaching forth inviting me to grow love from anywhere.  Spiritually, vibrationally.  Doctrine of Signatures lends itself to spreading unconditional love with the hands.  During a recent meditation, my guide told me the color of energy appears from its vibrational frequencies.  Makes sense.  I’ve always associated the bloom’s color with its chakra look-a-like, but I just recently started thinking of it as a form of energy that vibrates at the same frequency – therefore giving each chakra a different frequency.  Does that mean the root chakra’s vibrational waves are more spread about between crests than that of the crown chakra?  I saw an area of the sky two days ago that had the pink gray hue like a rainbow was about to appear.  I could feel it on its way – and sure enough just a few minutes later it appeared.  Can we turn all color into energy and vice versa?  Can we sing in colors?  Maybe this is where we find our song with our herb allies.  Mmmm feels good.

Now I remember researching the Musk Mallow last summer… oh yes.  Actual medicine documentation is hard to come by.  Pink, multiple blooms, knee height, finger-like leaves….What do you think?….The doctrine screams of unconditional love – the vibrations of the flowers exuding that of the heart chakra – pure uninterrupted love.  I’m having the book Joy Luck Club flash through my brain – maybe this plant has something to do with relating family…  Maybe it’s native to Asia.  Let’s see google…

@ MonikaBecker ” Irisflora Essence No. 11 – Moschus-Malve (musk-mallow, malva moschata) – After a change of location (moving house or to/from a different country), this essence will help us to feel at home in the new environment, to “strike root” and to overcome the initial feeling of homelessness and isolation. This essence also helps… those people who feel they are different from their fellow-humans and have difficulties to make contact with others. On a physical level, musk-mallow helps with skin problems.”

@ diamon-naturals.us  Flower Essence: Assists acceptability, social oneness, for those who feel ill at ease socially.  For accepting the transformation processes that manifest themselves over one’s life. Eliminates tension and stresses due to a fear of aging. On another plane, it develops trust and heartiness in shy people. Allows one to surmount insecurity and introversion.”

@Botanical.com – free ed. of Maude Grieves’ A Modern Herbal: “The root is white and is the part used. It has the same virtues as the Common Mallow, but is not quite as strong, and the leaves have similar properties. “

@ bearmedicineherbals.com this link discusses the common theme among the mallows, with detail

@ luirig.altervista.org  the source of the photos

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No matter the Mallow, I love you.

xoo

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Posted in Wild Flowers | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments »

Litha Love

June 21, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

Enjoy the long day of sunshine!

xoo

Posted in Hullabaloo | Tagged , | 2 Comments »

Nettles checkup

June 16, 2011 by Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice

Reading, Reading, Reading.  I found myself knee deep in what others have written about Nettles.  I’ve seen a few Nettles pop up in the garden.  So happy to see them.  I’ve been wanting to be stung, and haven’t.  I went to find my stash of dried Nettles and they are missing!  Am I suppossed to go harvest them fresh?  I am thinking I want to eat them…such a waste to have to compost the herb after infusion.

To be honest I haven’t been drinking the Nettles infusion as often as I had planned!  I made one brew with a few different herbs added to the Nettles right before my moon cycle – that was nice.  A pint/day seems like not enough once I start sipping.  There’s my inspiration I suppose.  It is different from the Basil experiment – when a pimple shows up you want to grab something to put on it.  The Tulsi I knew instantly made me feel better.  The Nettles are more long term – a tonic.  It’s learning a new routine.

My reading has gotten to the point where the herb is saying,

‘now drink me eat me gather me from the fields and love me!’

I will go to her this weekend in the meadow.

Maybe strip down and go for a roll……

Thought:  Nettle’s anti-histamine actions are letting the different body parts function again.  An inspiration to become functional again.  Maybe this is its same doctrine on the body system, nourishing it completely and allowing for proper operation.  Becoming awakened.

What’s up witch you?

xoo

Posted in Herbal Experiments, Nettles | Tagged , | 4 Comments »

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