|
The weekend we have all been waiting for is almost here! Below we have all the details you need to know to have a great time at Herbstalk...
 by Patrice Green If you could only pick nine herbs to rely on for the rest of your life, which would they be? It's a tough question for most of us to answer, but the Saxons held nine herbs as the most sacred. They even had a poem or charm -- called Lacnunga (Remedies) -- written about them, which dates from the 10-century. The herbs of the Lacnunga manuscript were highly valued, and used as treatment against poison and infection. These same herbs are still highly regarded, widely used today, and worthy of a closer look: Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris): Mugwort is well known as the premier herb for dreamwork. The silver on the underside of the leaves shows an affinity for the moon and the female reproductive system. Mugwort tea and essential oil help ease PMS symptoms. The essential oil also helps to relax the brain, improve circulation and aids in delivering nutrients to brain cells. It is a stimulant which helps keep the female hormones functioning properly. Mugwort itself gets its name “mug weed” because it used to be used to flavor ale/beer before the use of hops became popular. Moxa, which is used in acupuncture, is made from dried Mugwort. In the nine herbs charm Mugwort was named “Una,” the oldest herb.  Mugwort  Plantain Plantain (Plantago major): Plantain was called “waybroad” in ancient herbal texts for its propensity to grow where the earth was most densely packed: trails and roadways. Plantain is well known for its ability to pull nutrients from the soil, and draw out infections and foreign bodies from people. Have a splinter or step on some broken glass? Use plantain oil to help remove it. I like to call it Nature's bandaid. It makes a great field poultice if you've been stung by a bee or other insect, it’s very soothing to cuts and abrasions and can ease discomfort caused by poison ivy. Plantain is also great for soothing dry sinuses and the digestive system. Plantain was referred to as the "mother of herbs" in the 9 Herbs Charm. Watercress (Nasturtium officinalis): Incredibly high in Vitamin C, this delicious herb has been used both medicinally and as food for centuries. It has a mustard-like taste and is great in soups, sandwiches, salads and as a pot herb. Because of its high vitamin and mineral content, it is a valuable remedy for chronic illnesses. It is also a natural diuretic. In the Nine Herbs Charm it is called "Stune." Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis): A wonderful nervine, chamomile is also a great herb for the digestive system, helping to soothe upset stomachs. Chamomile tea is a soothing remedy for menstrual cramps and also helps with insomnia. Distilling German chamomile yields a wonderful blue essential oil which is one of the few oils safe to use "neat" or directly on the skin. I have successfully eased burns with a drop of chamomile essential oil. It seems to have regenerative properties as no scarring is evident. The Saxon word for Chamomile is “Maythen." Nettle (Urtica dioica): Nettle is a fabulous herb, one of the most mineral-rich plants. Great in teas, stir fry and soups, Nettles is also good for hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue. It is a “trophorestorative” meaning that it is a great restorer for any system in the body. To help ease seasonal allergies start drinking nettles tea about two weeks before spring buds pop. Nettles support extremely compromised kidneys. Nettle root helps with prostate issues, especially enlarged prostate. It is a stimulating herb that also energizes. Nettles was known as “Wergulu.” Crab Apple (Pyrus malus): This is the original wild apple. It is believed all apples developed from the Crab Apple. It has long been a source of vitamins and nutrients, and helps to clean teeth and increase energy. Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium): A traditional spring tonic in Central Europe, this popular French culinary herb’s seeds have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. It is carminative (prevents gas), helps purify the blood and lowers blood pressure. It is a diuretic. The juice of the fresh plant applied to eczema dries it up. It helps with abscesses. It is also a popular culinary herb in French cooking. To the Saxons, it was once the go-to remedy to restore the will to live. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): Fennel is also a carminative. It is a wonderful herb for the digestion. A mix of fennel essential oil and a carrier oil like apricot kernel oil, when rubbed on the stomach will ease discomfort. Many sources say that it was believed that fennel helped with longevity, and imparted both strength and courage. It has a pleasing aroma. So that’s eight herbs, but what of the ninth? Therein lies a mystery and some mild controversy. The original poem/charm refers to an herb called “Atterlothe.” The scholar R.K. Gordon believed it to be “cockspur grass” while later versions of the charm refer to it as Wood Betony (Stachys betonica), a nervine which was believed to be of great value as a whole-body tonic. We know today that in addition to being used to treat headaches and anxiety, Wood Betony also helps to heal cuts and eases the discomfort of insect bites. But was it the missing herb? When researching this further I found an article with an interesting theory that makes a good argument for Viper’s Bugloss being the herb in question. The article can be found here and I recommend reading it. Drop us a line and let us know what you think the missing herb is!
Sources: 1. http://www.pagannews.com/cgi-bin/articles1.pl?60 2. http://www.psumedievalgarden.com/sacred_saxon_herbs.html 3. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html  Patrice Green is an Herbal Educator, Certified Aromatherapist, Energy Medicine and Reiki Practitioner and founder of Green Aromatics. She is also the Assistant Director at the Boston School of Herbal Studies. She received her herbal training at the Boston School of Herbal Studies, and shamanic training from Isa Gucciardi, Ph. D. at the Sacred Stream in Berkley, CA. Inspired by time spent among the coastal Redwoods of Muir Woods and its beach, Green Aromatics strives to imbue its products and services with the same resilience, joy and equanimity of these majestic beings. Patrice may be reached through the Green Aromatics website.
by Melanie Brown
Here in New England I think we are all feeling the excitement and freshness of spring. Watching our beloved plants come back from their winter hibernation brings a sense of hope and renewal among other feelings of joy and wonderment. Usually towards the end of winter my brain starts excitedly brewing up ideas of herbal concoctions and wild harvesting that I want to accomplish during this time of year. With this feeling still in full force I am most certain that as a fellow plant lover you too have your own special plant friends that you are drawn to. Below are the green beings and recipes that I am especially in love with right now and I hope I can pass along something that sparks inspiration and brews something delightful in your life.  Sweet Birch twigs Sweet Birch (Betula lenta): Also known as black birch, this aromatic tree has an almost identical composition to wintergreen oil, with its distinct and uplifting aroma. In the 19th century it came close to annihilation in the Appalachian Mountains when the locals learned that oil made from the bark and twigs could be sold for cash. Oh humans... Rest assured there is abundance of this lovely tree here in our open woods. To identify I like to use a little scratch and sniff approach on a twig. If it smells like wintergreen then you know you have found sweet birch. I usually harvest one large branch, cut with very sharp tree pruning shears above where the branch meets the trunk. The inner bark is anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, analgesic, cooling, and moisturizing. With those properties in mind sweet birch makes an incredible infused oil for massaging into sore muscles, achy joints and very dry, irritated skin. This may be used as is or you can add essential oils of cardamom, lavender and chamomile to make a really nice final scent. Mineral & vitamin rich vinegar: Spring is the ideal time to start harvesting all of the abundant, nutritive, wild greens that grace us with their presence everywhere we walk. My favorite combination includes apple cider vinegar, dandelion, stinging nettle tops, and chickweed. I get really excited about vinegars because they provide daily nutrition and health benefits that aren’t available through tinctures or teas. Use as a dressing on wild salads, or even diluted with a little water and honey to taste as a pick-me-up drink.  Stinging Nettle Flower infused honey: We certainly don’t need to go into detail of the amazing medicinal qualities of honey. When you add into it your favorite aromatic flowers it just goes beyond a whole new level of pleasure. I prefer to purchase local and raw wildflower honey -- if you know a beekeeper even better. Cherry blossoms, lilacs, linden flowers, meadowsweet, hawthorn flowers, and violets are some of my favorite additions. I don’t find it necessary (or enjoyable) to strain the flowers from the finished infused honey. If fresh flowers are unavailable dried can be substituted.  Infused honey Plant infused moisturizing body butter: Perhaps you have jars of plant infused oils sitting on your apothecary shelves just waiting to be incorporated into an all-natural body care recipe. Summer is fast approaching and having a jar of melty skin butter to keep your skin happy and glowing just feels right. I also love knowing that the plants are being rubbed into my body on a daily basis -- there’s something magical about that. Creating your own body butter is also where you get to be really creative and tailor it to your skin type. Oils of olive, sweet almond, and apricot kernel are all suitable for the base. Calendula, red clover, comfrey leaf, self-heal, violet, elderflowers, burdock root, and rose are all nice options for infused oils. Coconut oil, shea, cocoa, and mango have been my favorite butters to use. To make: use 3 ounces each of two plant butters of your choice, 1 ounce of coconut oil, 3 ounces of infused oil, and a half ounce of beeswax. Combine above ingredients in a double boiler and gently warm until everything is fully incorporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool until consistency starts to harden. At this point take a hand blender and whip until fluffy. Store in glass jars.
Spring holds within it the essence of new growth, unlimited possibilities, and a carefree wild spirit. My hope is for us all to embrace this child-like wonderment and frolic through the forest and fields, basket in hand, gleefully and lovingly playing with our plant friends.  Melanie Brown is a native New Englander who always had an early connection to nature and the outdoors. Together with her four year old son she gathers the ingredients to make small batch plant based body care products which you can find at her herbal apothecary, FIR&ELM. She is a graduate of Boston School of Herbal Studies and currently apprenticing with Margi Flint of Earthsong Herbals. Her passion is to share and spread the message of community herbalism that lies right outside in our own backyards.
 by Melissa Laurita Kohl I learned herbalism through the American folk tradition, sitting at the feet of those herbalists, like Rosemary Gladstar, who raised herbalism back from the dead. They had few books, no internet, and a strong calling and passion for something that most Americans thought was crazy. Intuition, or the art of herbalism, was strong. This American tradition is beautiful. Pulled from tidbits of the European tradition that survived in the United States, broken and battered by the Inquisition, the scientific revolution, and the American Medical Association. Pulled from Native American culture, broken and battered by Europeans. Pulled from the magic and mysticism that comes from working closely with plants.  Shen Nong, the 'Divine Farmer' who taught herbalism & agriculture to the people of ancient China Traditionally and historically, herbalism is used in the context of a whole system. A poetry, or way, of understanding nature, its patterns, and our place within it. Observation is focused on ways you can observe the body and the whole person with all of your senses (as opposed to peering within via scalpels or microscopes). The concept of herbal energetics comes from these traditional systems and is often based on polarities (hot/cold, damp/dry) and allopathy (treating with opposites). For me, herbal energetics and the idea of a condition being hot or cold was somehow frightening and hard to grasp. Herbally, I grew up learning that valerian was a nervine and a sedative. And it worked and worked astonishingly well using herbs according to their actions with no consideration for energetics. Today it is very popular to believe that this folksy way of using herbalism, without that energetic context, is a lesser way. Herbalists who practice this way are lesser. I have seen many herbalists say that it is dangerous to use herbs according to their actions, in a “this for that” manner. But I think that this is a dangerous notion. Plants work. They do. They work if you simmer leaves or if you infuse them for 8 hours with a lid on. They work if you use organic herbs or if you have to resort to Celestial Seasonings Chamomile tea. They work if you write their name down on a piece of paper and keep it in your pocket, if you carry them on you, if you rub them on your body, if you ingest them, if you call on the plant spirit and think of them, if you tincture them. Plants work because we evolved with them. Every aspect of our being is interwoven with them. Their phytochemicals need to wash our cells regularly for our bodies to function properly. We have to see them for our immune systems to function properly. We have to smell them for our cardiovascular systems to function optimally. We must be in close connection with them for our spirits to feel comfortable on this earth. And because ingesting and using and living among plants is so intrinsic to our nature and our existence on this planet, they are generally very safe. Statistically safer than eating, driving, or taking pharmaceuticals. This does not mean that you can use them without understanding the basics of herb safety, but it does mean that if you are a folk herbalist and you know what you are doing, you will not be hurting anyone in any significant way, if at all. Maybe someone will feel like the herb you recommended is making them too dry or maybe the first herb you give them won't be their ally, but the next one will. If you are an intuitive folk herbalist, you may in fact be recommending the same herbs one would choose if examining herbal energetics in addition to herbal actions.  Rosemary Gladstar primarily teaches this folk tradition of American herbalism. There is a reason she is wildly popular and is the fairy godmother of American herbalism (or as my dear friend and fellow herb teacher Cat Pante said, “Rosemary Gladstar is the mama mack daddy of herbs.”). If she were peddling a system that did not work, I can assure you that we would not be here today having this conversation, as herbalism would likely still be stuffed in the broom closet. I think this is important to remember as politics push us closer to standardization, to alienating our brothers and sisters who don't use herbs quite the same way we do. All that being said, I do incorporate herbal energetics into my beginner herb classes because I think it is an important and useful tool and it is easier to integrate into your practice if you learn it right from the beginning. It is also a more legal way of practicing herbalism. Technically, it is illegal for me to treat your indigestion or high blood pressure. But if I am not treating those western diseases, but instead am treating the underlying imbalance in the body, based on herbal energetics, then I am speaking and using a very non-medical model and am no longer practicing medicine without a license (hopefully). Folk herbalism works incredibly well much of the time. Unfortunately, it is in a grey area here in the United States. Using a traditional form of herbalism (like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Unani-Tibb, Galenic, Tibetan, or a traditional Native American or African system) can add beauty, nuance, and efficacy to your practice. But it should never bring judgment or condescension for your herbal brothers and sisters who do not.  Melissa Laurita Kohl is the lead instructor and founder of the Fungi & Flora Folkschool in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. She credits her love of herbs with growing up in NYC (where every plant was a precious gift); her mama's unbelievable Italian cooking (which infused her home with the intoxicating aroma of herbs); and her colic (which brought her chamomile). Melissa has studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and western herbalism with a variety of teachers. Herb walks and herbal apprenticeships take place on her farm, where sheep, alpaca, ducks, guineas, chickens, angora rabbits, and a stray cat from Brooklyn welcome visitors.
We've been getting some great press this year: our Herbstalk co-founder, Henry Kesner, was recently interviewed on Cambridge Community Television. Enjoy this short talk with Henry and learn all about the details for this year's 5th year anniversary event!
|
Archives
November 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed