Judge Elena Simionescu was accused of being a witch and of creating an atmosphere of conflict during her term as a president of the court in Vatra Dornei, a small town in eastern Romania.

She was alleged to have performed rituals involving splashing water, mud and “other liquids”, as well as salt and pepper, on fellow judges’ desks in what some saw as an attempt to bewitch them. The case raises unsettling questions about the outlook of some within the judicial system of one of the newest members of the European Union.

The allegations were made by court staff, judges and prosecutors, who claimed that Judge Simionescu tried to cast spells on them. The judge denied the accusations, telling investigators that her practices were in accordance with the Christian faith. She said: “I splash my colleagues’ desks with holy water every day, in the spirit of good Christians’ rituals.”

Full Article here

From: astrology.com 

It’s time to perfect your backstroke as Mercury turns retrograde in the sign of the Fish just in time for Valentine’s Day! Since Pisces is the most sensitive sign of the zodiac, you are likely to feel a bit thin-skinned recollecting recent agreements, ideas and conversations — especially those pertaining to matters of the heart. Bear in mind that, because of the psychic nature of this water sign, anything left unsaid may emerge as much more important than feelings that have been put into words. However, don’t overthink every nuance of your emotions, silent or otherwise. Strive to maintain control over your mood, and don’t jump to conclusions until you have a handle on all the facts!

When Mercury reenters airy Aquarius on February 26, your more logical mind will return — somewhat. Mercury will still be retrograde, but the movement away from emotional Pisces into detached Aquarius will provide some clarity. Mercury retrograde phases are like an extended conversation, allowing you to repeatedly review and reinterpret the finer points of each moment. Take your time! With Mercury in this innovative air sign, you have the opportunity to develop your ideas more thoroughly and to return to trains of thought with those who can help. Additionally, if you know which house — or houses — Mercury is traveling through in your natal chart, you can use that knowledge to further utilize and appreciate all aspects of the current retrograde. And, of course, hold off on any major decision-making until after Mercury turns direct on March 7: Mercury retrograde periods are infamous for wreaking havoc on otherwise perfectly well-informed plans!

Wicca Barbie Nov 06 ’03 (Updated Nov 06 ’03) Author’s Product Rating Durability:   Pros the outfit, the concept, the entire doll – she’s great! Cons none actually – but I’m waiting for Mattel to whimp out and pull it! The Bottom Line A must have Barbie – although she can’t actually cast spells, she will entertain you for hours.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered Samantha, Willow and Glinda better shut or put up because there’s a new Wicca in town and word has it she’s all powerful. I have it on authority that this new girl is from the famed PVC coven – you know the sect – they’re the leaders in spell casting for staying forever youthful, having hot dumb guys support you and maintaining the same unattainable figure for 30 years plus (even after childbirth). Mirror mirror on the wall who’s the sneakiest witch of all? Would that possibly be Mattel’s latest release – Black Magic Barbie? OK, ok, so they claim she dabbles in White Magic only, but what else are they going to say – she’s Barbie – Princess of the Dark Arts? I mean if the Wal-Mart crowd can’t handle a married/pregnant teen bride Barbie, they sure can’t handle one who uses the dark forces to get what she wants – and in fact despite Mattel’s claims that she into white magic only, I’m waiting for this one to get pulled any day now (which is why I bought one of each of them two months ago when they first appeared at my Target). Frankly between you and me of all the things Barbie has ever been – Nascar driver, Doctor, Driving School Instructor, and the list goes on, this one has to be the most plausible career ever and certainly explains a lot (I always wondered how she stayed so young and limber and kept that figure all these years – now I know – a few frogs and snails and puppy dog tails have helped her maintain). She’s one Wicked Witch Mattel not being one to buck trends and capitalize on just about anything or any fad (recall Got Milk Barbie) has decided that the world is big enough for two mystical dolls – Harry Potter – and pardon me while I stop laughing and pick myself up the floor to say Barbie. Who knew that behind all that bleached out teased up blonde hair lurked the evil heart of a powerful witch (ok, so maybe I thought something like that, but the last word started with a “b” not a “w”. I guess they figure girls can’t relate to “boy” things like Harry Potter, so they need a strong female role model to lure them in and teach them the dark arts. Plus the fact that Mattel and Barbie strongly believe that reading gives you wrinkles so they constantly feel the need to dumb down everything in order to make a sale. According them and the box Harry Potter is a dolt – who needs to pay for Hogwarts when you can go to public school for free and practice your Magicks. Now that I say that I can think only one thing – Secret Spell Barbie is the Avenging Angel of 2003 – student by day/dark art temptress by night. Hey that is a great catch line for appearing on the center stage. I’ll put a spell on you So just what does our little wicked witch come with? Secret Spells Barbie is part of a coven of dolls or as Mattel like to put it – the Secret Spells Trio. Simply translated that means Ka-Ching – unless you buy all them you can’t tap into the ultimate Magicks. Barbie is of course the center star of the Trio (can anyone say narcissistic personality), and perhaps the most emotionally unstable of all the Secret Spell girls – seems the poor girl has cast one too many spells on herself and can’t decide if she’s an adult or teenager (or perhaps she’s just psycho enough to be a pathetic adult unwilling to let go of her youth). It’s funny and sad at the same time – but again, how sorry can you feel for her – I guess maybe I’d better fake it or she might turn me into a toad or worse yet Skippper. I Love the 80s OK, ok I admit Mattel says Barbie is an ordinary school girl – so that could mean high school OR college – I just hope no one would go to college dressed like Barbie does. At least a teen could be excused for the big Glamour Don’t. Of course if you can cast spells, you can use your powers to convince anyone you look good. Her look can only be described as I love the 80s gone wild. She is sporting gold lame pants (minus the French accent – these pants are L A M E!). I also question the need the world’s biggest doll belt buckle when you paints are practically painted on. She tops off the skin tight hip huggers with a two-tone belly top that is half purple fish net and half solid pink. Yes, Mattel puts the fish net on top but you still see a lot of cleavage. In fact the whole top might as well be fish net, because once again Mattel has skimped on the material and the top has issues holding in place under her breasts. I almost expect Snoop Dog Barbie to come around the corner at any moment with a video camera in one hand and Girls Gone Wild release form in the other. Another interesting fact is that Barbie is going free range in the top – I suppose because she cast spells she can keep the girls young and perky and never need to worry about sagging or plastic surgery. Her shoes are about the only cool part of the outfit – they are Frederick’s of Hollywood gold open toe high heels that do have difficulty staying on – but perhaps that isn’t a problem for this little witch – I don’t think she does most of her work on her feet. The catch phrase on the box says, “No one suspects that this ordinary school girl . . .is actually one of the Secret Spells girls.” Nope dressed like, Secret Spells girls would actually be pretty low on the list- Tunnel Bunny or groupie would be far ahead of that choice. When Barbie wants to Wicca it up she dons her long pink spell casting trench coat – because lord knows she wouldn’t want to dump potion on all that exposed skin and Jell-o is so hard to get out of lame. The coat itself is hideous – but then again I’m not six (ok not six physically, but mentally is another story). My 6 yo finds it to be sparkly and pretty (but we’ll she what thinks about that in a few years). All of the Secret Spell Girls sport the same hairstyle – long straight hair with several tiny braids on each side the face – bangs just get in the way when you cast spells. Of course Barbie is the blonde one, Kayla, the red head and Christie is the brunette. I do wonder what the kids at the school think of three girls all with similar hairstyles and dressed in belly tops and skin tight pants. Mattel also teaches little girls that honesty is not the best policy – part of being a Secret Spells Girl is hiding your love for the black arts from your friends and teachers. Mattel without saying so has once again shown that math class it tough – Barbie has hollowed out her textbook to hide her Wicca paraphernalia. In fact the box says, “Barbie hides magic supplies in a trick school book.” Translation – who need education when you can cast spells with Jell-o. Her assorted Wicca tools include three plastic potion bottles, a spoon for measuring the potion one of the longest magic wands I have ever seen and clear plastic cauldron with stand for mixing potions in (and just to be sure no ones Magicks get confused, the stands match the color of what Barbie is wearing. Double Double Toil and Trouble Not since the Olsen Twins cinematic tour de force have I been this impressed with witches and spell casting. Wicca Barbie comes with two packets of “spell powder” and a spell book to tell you how to mix them and what each combination will get you (other than a stomach ache). You will need to read the box, because Barbie comes with an expiration date (wishfully thinking for the doll, but realistically for the powder) and the best disclaimer ever, “Novelty only! This product is for entertainment purposes only and no other medical or other benefits or effects are claimed for use of the powdered drink mixes.. “ Is that a big DUH or what? Actually I hate to admit that I thought that Barbie could help me cast a spell and get the big promotion I’ been hoping for all these years and that she could also help cure my shingles. How many times will this blonde bimbo let me – I’m still burned by the fact that she does not walk or stand alone. The drink mixes are especially nasty – you get one peach flavored drink mix and one orange sherbet. They say they are powdered drink mixes, but it’s some nasty combo of Tang of and dry Jell-o mix. Each spoonful is about ten calories but on the upside its fat free. All I can say is keep a roll of Tums nearby if you choose to sample the potion – it’s disgusting – and even my child said that. We made the spell for money – which is on spoonful of each mix and water. We sure didn’t get any money, but did get a huge mouthful of undissolved drink mix followed by hours of a bad after taste. It was so nasty that my daughter voted to pitch the mixes. All I can say is you want to cast spells, don’t rely on Barbie and her drink mixes to help you out. Overall this has to be one of my favorite Barbie dolls. From her revealing outfit to her ability to not really cast spells she provides hours of laughs and entertainment (hey the box did promise that). I’d highly suggest you get one she gets pulled or she expires.

Plants’ experience of being in the world is very different from the
experience of us animals. Because plants cannot move about, they exist
in a state of profound acceptance and peace within themselves. Emotions
such as fear, hate, jealousy, possessiveness, etc. are wholly unknown to
plants and would serve no useful purpose. On the other hand, plants are
capable of experiencing a wide range of higher emotions the like of
which we animals could scarcely conceive.
At the same time, there are feelings which plants share with us animals,
such as love, pain, joy, thirst, etc. It is the feelings we share with
plants which provide the basis of our ability to communicate with them.
Feeling with plants is not so different from feeling with people. For
example, when we are about to have sex with someone who really turns us
on, we feel a palpable surge of sexual energy connecting us to that
person. Similarly, when we walk into a room to face someone who is
madder than hell at us, we feel connected to that person by a palpable
wave of anger and fear. When a baby smiles at us, we feel a rush of joy
that has us automatically smile back. However, most of our interactions
with other people do not have this feeling of connectedness and
emotional immediacy. Most of the time we don’t even look the people we
are addressing in the eye, let alone feel with them. Because of our
social training, we tend to regard sharing feelings with other people as
threatening. We are taught to close up and defend ourselves, and to keep
our interactions as sterile and devoid of feeling as possible.
In order to communicate with plants (or people), you have to be able to
regard them as your equals. If you are afraid (ashamed) to talk with
homeless people, beggars, crazy people, etc. then you’ll also find it
difficult to talk with plants. However, it’s actually easier to
communicate with plants than it is to communicate with people because
plants don’t have defenses and self-importance agendas in place which
engage our own defenses and self-importance agendas. To feel with plants
(or people) doesn’t mean to gush all over them; all it means is to
recognize them as beings whose feelings are as important to them as your
feelings are to you.
When first learning to communicate with plants, it helps to be in
contact with the same individual plants on a daily basis. Ideally you
should go out, preferably alone, to the same tree or meadow for at least
a few minutes every day. If you can’t do this, cultivating garden or
house plants will work just as well, although it’s easiest to
communicate with large trees. This is because from a feeling (light
fiber) point of view, humans and trees are very much alike – the
light fiber (auric glow) configurations of both humans and trees are
quite similar, whereas that of insects, for example, is very different
from either. It is easier for humans and trees to communicate with each
other than it is for either to communicate with insects.
Now even the least psychic person, going up to a large tree, should be
able to pick up something of the personality (mood) of that tree. How
does the tree make you feel – happy, sad, loving, jolly, heavy? Can
you pick up its sex: sense a male or female presence – or its age:
young and vigorous or old and mellow?
This isn’t all that hard to do – you can call upon your senses to
buttress your feelings, as in the exercise of seeing pictures in the
clouds, except that you do it by feeling rather than thinking – by
relaxing into the process rather than controlling it. It’s exactly what
a rationalist would term “anthropomorphism. “
For example, spiky trees (like palmettos and Joshua trees) have a sassy,
masculine energy. Cedar trees tend to be clowns or wise guys. Banana
trees are joyous and loving. Weeping trees really do have a doleful air
about them. Tall, erect trees have proud and regal personalities. Trees
that seem to be reaching longingly for the heavens are reaching
longingly for the heavens.
A good time to learn to connect emotionally with trees is when they’re
dying. The next time you see a tree being felled, pause and quiet down
your thoughts and watch it attentively. You should easily be able to
feel the tree’s agony just before it falls, since trees (and all beings)
are filled with power at the moment of their deaths and profoundly
affect the beings around them. Loggers triumphantly yell “Timber!” when
a tree falls to cover their sense of shame and disconnectedness – to
block communication with the tree at the moment of its death.
Another good time to pick up on plants’ feelings is when they are in
motion. Plants are happiest when they are moving – blown by the wind
and the rain. Wave back to them when they wave at you (it’s only
polite). Watch how they dance in the breeze. See how the trees which
overhang roads and walkways cast down blessings on all who pass beneath
them. See how the young growing tips are more alert, vigorous, and
naively impetuous than the older and mellower lower leaves. Be aware of
the awareness of plants: when you walk through a wood or meadow, feel as
though you were walking through a crowd of people, all of whom are
watching you.
Some people pick up on the feelings of plants by seeing faces in the
bark or foliage. They impose that thought form (of a face with a giggly,
dour, saucy, etc. expression) over the feeling of the tree, since that’s
how most people are conditioned to interpret feelings – by
associating them with facial expressions.
What we’re tying to get at are feelings, which can be apprehended
directly, without any need for sensory cues. However, the senses can
provide a useful point of reference and serve as a bridge between
imagination and pure feeling, which is how they function in dreams. When
you see with your feelings rather than your mind, your visual attention
isn’t focused on any one thing, but rather everything within your field
of vision strikes your attention with equal impact (vividness), as it
does in dreams. To see this way you have to have your mind quiet, and
you have to be in a joyous and abandoned mood. If you’re bummed out or
grumpy, you won’t be able to see what plants are feeling any more than
you’d be able to see a baby smile at you.
Much of our social training entails learning to stifle our senses –
to not see what is right before our eyes, to not listen to what our ears
are hearing, to be offended by smells, discomfited by touch. Cutting off
our senses leaves us feeling apathetic and disconnected from our world.
Therefore, if we want to renew our feeling of connectedness which we had
as infants, we have to start plugging our senses into our feelings
again. And because they are so nonthreatening, feeling with plants is a
good place to start.
Not only do different species of plants have different feelings
associated with them, but also there is considerable individual
variation in personalities between different plants of the same species,
between different branches on the same plant, and even between different
leaves on the same branch. By lightly holding a leaf for a moment
between your thumb and forefinger, you can feel which leaves want to be
picked for medicine or food purposes and which ones want to be left
alone. The leaves that want to be picked have a high, vibrant feel to
them, whereas leaves that don’t want to be picked feel dead in your
hand.
Even if you can’t seem to tune in to the feelings of plants, you can
still telepathically “talk” with them. Plants can talk to you in
thoughts, and these (at first) seem indistinguishable from your own
thoughts. That is, it will seem to you that you are the one who is
thinking these thoughts, when in fact it is the plants which are sending
you messages. That’s why it’s important to have your own mind as quiet
as possible – to be in a relaxed mood – if you expect plants to
talk to you; if your own mind is buzzing, there’s no way the plants can
get a word in edgewise. Any thoughts or feelings you have while sitting
under a tree or working with plants are probably messages from the
plants.
So how do you know if you are actually communicating with a plant, and
not just imagining it? The answer is: you don’t. You just go with your
intuition rather than going with your concepts, what you’ve been taught.
Instead of hypnotizing yourself into believing that the world of
concepts is reality, you hypnotize yourself into believing that the
world of feelings – of magic – is reality. The only difference
between these two equally valid points of view is that from one of them
plants talk to you, and from the other they don’t.
If you feel self-conscious talking to plants, just remember that what
you have been programmed to call the “real” world is merely a figment of
your imagination also. And if you start calling something else the real
world, then that something else becomes the real world; it becomes as
real as this one.
If you’re dubious, just ask the plant over and over, “Is this you, Mr.
or Ms. Plant talking to me, or am I just imagining it?” And if you keep
getting the same answer over and over, “It’s me, the plant! It’s me, the
plant!” – then just assume that it is indeed the plant talking to
you, and listen to what it has to say. You can ask questions and get
answers, both questions and answers coming as though you were holding a
conversation in your own mind.
It’s easy to learn to talk with house and garden plants, since these are
particularly eager to discuss matters such as fertilization, watering,
shade, grafting and transplanting techniques, etc. But in addition to
such mundane affairs, plants (particularly large trees) can give you
helpful advice on all sorts of matters. Take them your problems; ask
them what they think you should do. Some of my best friends and most
trusted advisors are trees.
Whether you are consciously aware of it or not, you are already
communicating with plants all the time. The soothing, healing,
tranquilizing feeling that comes when you are gardening or are out in
nature is in fact your psychic attunement to the joyous vibrations of
the plants around you. To follow this feeling one step further – to
its source – is to put yourself into direct communication with the
plants. It’s as easy as smiling at a baby.

(excerpted from Bob Makransky’s book Magical Living)

More of Bob Makransky’s articles are posted at: www.dearbrutus.com

The Search for Bride’s Well 

by Cheryl Straffon & Caeia March

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     Bride (pronounced Breed) was one of the principle Celtic goddesses, and was celebrated throughout the pagan Celtic world as the Goddess of healing, smithcraft and poetry. She is particularly associated with wells and her main festival was that of Imbolc (February 1st) which celebrated her return to the land, seen in the lactation of the ewes and the first flowers of Spring. She was so important a Goddess that the Christian church could not suppress her. Instead they turned her into St Bridgit or Brigid, and she became one of the most revered saints of the early Celtic church. Legends and customs associated with her can be found in most Celtic lands, in particular in Scotland (where Bride’s Well can be found on the Isle of Lewis) and in Ireland, where she is still venerated until this day.

     As a pagan Goddess, Bride has particular resonance for us, and since Imbolc 1992 we have found that she has played an important part in our lives and in our researches. It has always puzzled us that she appeared to have no particular place in the folklore and mythology of Cornwall, despite Cornwall’s strong Celtic traditions. Our researches and personal journeyings have however over the last years revealed to us her presence in Cornwall in a very exciting and original way.

     For a time now we have both been interested in the 5th – 7th century links between Cornwall (then part of the kingdom of Dumnonia) and other Celtic lands, principally Ireland and Wales. It appears that early potters came from Ireland to Wales and then on to Cornwall, probably landing in the Tintagel area and settling initially along the valley of the River Camel [1]. There are the well-known maze carvings on the walls of Rocky Valley near Tintagel which are undated but could easily be from this period. There is also a little-known link between them and Ireland, for on a rock in the Wicklow Hills (now in a museum in Dublin) was found another maze carving, the exact mirror image of the Rocky Valley ones (Rocky Valley is a left-handed and Wicklow Hills a right-handed labyrinth carving) [2]. We would suggest that both carvings may have been made by the same peoples, who left their mark in their homeland of Ireland, and travelled to Cornwall where they carved its mirror image as a thanksgiving for their safe arrival.

     There are other clues to the links between Ireland and Cornwall from this time: many of the early saints were supposed to come from Ireland and Wales, and several of the names are common to the three countries and nowhere else. For example, Saint Breaca who gave her name to Breage in Cornwall was supposed to be born in East Meath in Ireland and educated at St Brigid’s convent nearby. So if the Celts did travel trade-routes here they must have brought their legends and beliefs with them. One of the principal beliefs would have been of the pagan Bride, given a thin veneer of Christian nomenclature as Saint Brigid. There was a shrine to her at Kildare in Ireland tended by 19 priestesses (later nuns), and St Bride’s Bay on the coast of Wales, where the Irish migrants would have landed, was named after her. As they moved across Cornwall on the old route through Launceston and on into Devon, it seemed to us unlikely that they would not have left some mark behind of her central presence in their lives.

     For us the breakthrough came when we started work on our books, for Caeia research on the Cornish myth of Tristan and Iseult [3] and for Cheryl a book on the Goddess in Cornwall [4]. It was our hypothesis that Iseult may have been a localised version of the Goddess Bride that set us searching for some evidence of her presence here. As Bride was the Goddess of poetry (creativity) and smithcraft (workmanship) as well as healing (inner and outer work) this was not without significance for us.

   While researching the possible trade routes across north Cornwall we ‘chanced’ on a listing on the OS map (at SX 3500 7962) for St Bridgit’s Well. Here was the missing link we had been seeking! However, there appeared to be no source material on this well at all: no books listed it, not even Meyrick’s comprehensive collection of over 130 Cornish wells [5] and there was no information on it in the Sites & Monuments Register of the Cornwall Archaeological Unit. The name was the clue we had been seeking, but for all we knew the well itself may have been a muddy hole in the ground or simply a lost tradition. However, on a beautiful early Spring day in February 1993, Bride’s month, we travelled through the snowdrop-filled lanes of North Cornwall to the spot given on the map, and discovered we were entering the private estate of Landue near Lezant. Now Lezant is Cornish for ‘holy place’, and Landue probably means ‘sanctuary’, so our surmise was that we had stumbled upon the site of a very early holy well around which a sacred settlement had grown. Confirmation for this came later (in Meyrick) in the discovery that a chapel to St Bridget is also recorded there. On our way, we had stopped at the cross of Holyway (SX 2727 8232), another clue to the route followed by the early migrants. Traced further eastwards, one comes to Bridestow in Devon – literally ‘Bride’s Place’. So it seems we had found the early route from the Rocky Valley through the Camel Valley, Landue, and on to Devon. Perhaps the Irish/Welsh Celtic migrants were only following a well-known trade route of their ancestors from the sacred lands of Ireland to the sacred sites of Dartmoor?

     But what of Bridget’s well? A special delight was to await us. By the kind permission of the owner of the estate, we followed a secret path through a bower of trees surrounded by snowdrops and early daffodils, to a beautiful well. The old gate was kept in place with shining white quartz stones, and when we gently removed them and opened the gate the water was clear and fresh. The midday sun shone through the trees straight into the well, with all the stones glistening deep red and brown. It was an enchanted place!

   We thanked Bride for bringing us there and showing us the well, a well hidden for so many years, yet quietly cared for and looked after. Talking to the owner a little later, she told us that in fact a number of other wells in the area were also called by the local people Bridget’s Well. Now there are no others listed on the map or in the SMR, so this is likely to be a very old folk memory of the importance of the area as a settlement on the trail, a trail we were now beginning to call ‘Bride’s Way’. And so our search was completed. It had taken us a full year to track down and discover the presence of Bride in Cornwall, and the route taken by the Celtic forbears who brought her here from Ireland. There is further research to be done on other possible significant places along the way, and the links between the Insular Celts and their Continental cousins. But for the moment we were happy to have discovered the gift of Bride in Cornwall, and her special place in our lives.

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References

1.	Charles Thomas, And Shall These Mute Stones Speak?, University of Wales Press, 1994.
2.	Nigel Pennick, Mazes and Labyrinths, Robert Hale, 1992.
3.	Caeia March, Reflections, Womens Press: (to be published), 1995.
4.	Cheryl Straffon, Pagan Cornwall – Land of the Goddess, Meyn Mamvro Publications, 1994.
5.	J. Meyrick, A Pilgrims Guide to the Holy Wells of Cornwall, Meyrick, 1982.

http://www.bath.ac.uk/lispring/sourcearchive/ns3/ns3cs1.htm
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The Sabbats tell us one of the stories of the Goddess and God, of their
relationship and the effects this has on the fruitfulness of the Earth.  There
are many variations on these myths, but here’s a fairly common one, woven into
the basic descriptions of the Sabbats.

Yule
The Goddess gives birth to a son, the God, at Yule (December 21). This is
in no way an adaptation of Christianity. The Winter Solstice has long been
viewed as a time of divine  births.  Mithras was said to have been born at this
time. The Christians simply adopted it for their use in 273 C.E. (Common Era).

Yule is a time of the greatest darkness and is the shortest day of the year.
Earlier peoples noticed such phenomena and supplicated the forces of nature to
lengthen the days and  shorten the nights.  Witches sometimes celebrate Yule
just before dawn, then watch the Sun rise as a fitting finale to their efforts.

Since the God is also the Sun, this marks the point of the year when the Sun is
reborn as well.  Thus, the Witches light fires or candles to welcome the Sun’s
returning light.  The Goddess, slumbering through the Winter of Her labor, rests
after Her delivery.

Yule is remnant of early rituals celebrated to hurry the end of Winter and the
bounty of Spring, when food was once again readily available. To contemporary
Witches it is a reminder that the ultimate product of death is rebirth, a
comforting thought in these days of unrest.
Imbolc
Imbolc (circa February 2) marks the recovery of the Goddess after giving birth to the
God. The lengthening periods of light awaken Her. The God is a young, lusty boy,
but His power is felt in the longer days. The warmth fertilizes the Earth (the
Goddess), and causes seeds to  germinate and sprout. And so the earliest
beginnings of Spring occur.

This is a Sabbat of purification after the shut-in life of Winter, through the
renewing power  of the Sun.  It is also a festival of light and of fertility,
once marked in Europe with huge  blazes, torches and fire in every form.  Fire
here represents our own illumination and inspiration as much as light and
warmth.
Imbolc is also known as Feast of Torches, Oimelc,  Lupercalia, Feast of Pan,
Snowdrop Festival, Feast of the Waxing Light, Brighid’s Day, and probably by
many other names.  Some female Witches follow the old Scandinavian custom of
wearing crowns of lit candles, but many more carry tapers during their
invocations.

This is one of the traditional times for initiations into covens, and so self-
dedication rituals, such as the one outlined in this Book of Shadows, can be
performed or renewed at this time.

Ostara
Ostara (March 21), the Spring Equinox,  also known as Spring, Rites of
Spring and Eostra’s Day, marks the first day of true Spring.  The energies of
Nature subtly shift from the sluggishness of Winter to the exuberant expansion
of Spring.  The Goddess blankets the Earth with fertility, bursting forth from
Her sleep, as the God stretches and grows to maturity. He walks the greening
fields and delights in the abundance of nature.

On Ostara the hours of day and night are equal. Light is overtaking darkness;
the Goddess and God impel the wild creatures of the Earth to reproduce.

This is a time of beginnings, of action, of planting spells for future gains,
and of tending the ritual gardens.
Beltane
Beltane (April 30) marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by
the energies at work in Nature, He desires the Goddess.  They fall in love, lie
among the grasses and blossoms, and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the
God.  Witches celebrate the symbol of Her fertility in ritual.

Beltane (sometimes known as May Day) has long been marked with feasts and rituals.
Maypoles, supremely phallic symbols, were the focal point of Old English village
rituals.   Many persons rose at dawn to gather flowers and green branches from
the fields and  gardens, using them to decorate the May pole, their homes and
themselves.

The flowers and greenery symbolize the Goddess; the Maypole the God. Beltane
marks the return of vitality, of passion and hopes consummated.

Maypoles are sometimes used by Witches today during Beltane rituals, but the
cauldron is  a more common focal point of ceremony. It represents, of course,
the Goddess – the essence of womanhood, the end of all desire, the equal but
opposite of the Maypole, symbolic of the God.

Midsummer
Midsummer, the Summer Solstice ( June 21), also known as Litha and Comhain, arrives
when the powers of Nature reach their highest point. The Earth is awash in the
fertility of the Goddess and God.

In the past, bonfires were leapt to encourage fertility, purification, health
and love. The fire once again represents the Sun, feted on this time of the
longest daylight hours.     Midsummer is a classic time for magic of all kinds.

Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh (circa August 1) is the time of the first harvest, when the plants of Spring
wither and drop their fruits or seeds for our use as well as to ensure future
crops. Mystically, so too does the God lose His strength as the Sun rises
farther in the South each day and the nights grow longer.  The Goddess watches
in sorrow and joy as She realizes that the God  is dying, and yet lives on
inside Her as Her child.

Lughnasadh, also known as August Eve, Feast of Bread, Harvest Home and Lammas, 
wasn’t necessarily observed on this day.  It originally coincided with the first
reapings.

As Summer passes, Witches remember its warmth and bounty in the food we eat. 
Every  meal is an act of atunement with Nature, and we are reminded that nothing
in the universe is constant.        
Mabon
Mabon (September 21), the Autumn Equinox, is the completion of the harvest begun
as Lughnasadh.  Also known as Herfest, or the blood harvest, because it is the time
when the cattle or grazing animals are brought down from the fields and corralled for
the winter.  Once again day and night are equal, poised as the God prepares to leave
His physical body and begin the great adventure into the
unseen, toward renewal and rebirth of the Goddess.

Nature declines, draws back its bounty, readying for Winter and its time of
rest. The Goddess nods in the weakening Sun, though fire burns within Her womb. 
She feels the presence of the God even as He wanes.

Samhain
At Samhain (October 31),the Craft say farewell to the God. This is a temporary
farewell.  He isn’t wrapped in eternal darkness, but readies to be reborn of the
Goddess at Yule.

Samhain, also known as November Eve, Feast of the Dead, Feast of Apples,
Hallows, All Hallows and Hallowe’en, once marked the time of sacrifice. In some
places this was the  time when animals were slaughtered to ensure food
throughout the depths of Winter. The God – identified with the animals -  fell
as well to ensure our continuing existence.

Samhain is a time of reflection, of looking back over the last year, of coming
to terms with the one phenomenon of life over which we have no control – death.

The Craft feel that on this night the separation between the physical and
spiritual realities is thin. Witches remember their ancestors and all those who
have gone before.

After Samhain, Witches celebrate Yule, and so the Wheel of the Year is complete.
Surely there are mysteries buried here. Why is the God the son and then the
lover of the Goddess?   This isn’t incest, this is symbolism. In this
agricultural story (one of many Craft myths) the ever changing fertility of the
Earth is represented by the Goddess and God.  This myth speaks of the mysteries
of birth, death and rebirth. It celebrates the wondrous aspects and beautiful
effects of love, and honors women who perpetuate our species. It also points out
the very real dependence  that humans have on  the Earth, the Sun  and the Moon
and of the effects of the seasons on our daily lives.

To agricultural peoples, the major thrust of this myth cycle is the production
of food  through the interplay between the Goddess and God. Food – without which
we would all die – is intimately connected with the deities.  Indeed, Witches
see food as yet another  manifestation of divine energy.

And so, by observing the Sabbats, Witches attune themselves to the Earth and to
the  deities. They reaffirm their Earth roots. Performing rituals on the nights
of the Full Moon also strengthens their connections with the Goddess in
particular.

It is the wise Witch who celebrates on the Sabbats and Esbats, for these are
times of real as well as symbolic power. Honoring them in some fashion is an
integral part of Witchcraft.

ALLSPICE (Pimento dioica)

To grow:
No directions to grow

Uses:
Allspice will ease flatulence and dyspeptic pain. It may be applied as a
compress for rheumatism and neuralgia. It is mainly used as a spice in the food
industry.

Parts used:
The berries are the part of the plant that are used. They should be picked while
still green. When they are dried they will turn a reddish-brown.

Infusion:
The dried berries should be bruised just before use to release the oils. Pour
one cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of the berries and let stand for 5-10
minutes. Drink warm to ease the symptoms of abdominal distress as needed.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

ANISEED (Pimpinella anisum)

To grow:
Annual herb with bright green, toothed, basal leaves. Tiny white flowers appear
in umbrella-like clusters on 2 ft. stems in June. Start in place when ground
warms up in spring. This plant does not transplant easily. Grow in light soil in
full sun. Water it regularly.

Uses:
Aniseed oil is the basis for its internal use to ease griping, intestinal colic,
and flatulence. It also has a marked expectorant and anti-spasmodic action and
may be used where there is persistent coughing, and in whooping cough. The oil
may be used externally in an ointment base for treating scabies. The oil by
itself will help in the control of lice.

Parts used:
The seeds of Anise are the part used. The ripe dry fruits should be picked
between mid-summer and early fall.

Infusion
The seeds should be gently crushed just before use to release the oils. Pour one
cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the seeds and let it stand for 5-
10 minutes. Take one cup three times daily. To ease flatulence the tea should be
taken slowly before meals.

Oil
One drop of the oil may be taken internally by mixing it into 1/2 teaspoonful of
honey.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

BALM (Melissa officinalis)

To grow:
Perennial herb. Grows to 2 ft. It’s leaves are heavily veined, light green
leaves with a lemony scent. It’s white flowers are unimportant and need to be
cut occasionally to keep compact. Spreads rapidly. Grow in rich, moist soil in
sun or part shade. Balm is very hardy and you can propagate from seed or root
divisions. Self sows.

Uses:
Balm is an excellent carminative herb that relieves spasms in the digestive
tract and is used in flatulent dyspepsia. The gently sedative oils relieve
tension and stress reactions, therefore, acting to lighten depression. It has a
tonic effect on the circulatory system and heart, thus lowering blood pressure.
It can be used in feverish conditions such as flu.

Parts used:
Dried aerial parts or fresh in season. Pick the leaves two or three times a year
between early summer and early fall. Cut off the young shoots when they are
approximately 12 in long. They should be dried in the shade at a temperature not
more than 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Infusion:
Pour a cup of boiling water onto 2-3 teaspoons of the dried herb or 4-6 fresh
leaves and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes, well covered. Drink a cup in the
morning and the evening or when needed.

Tincture:
Take 2-6 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

BAYBERRY (Myrica cerifera)

To grow:
Deciduous or partly evergreen shrub. Dense, compact growth to 9 ft. Leaves are 4
inches long, narrowish, glossy green, dotted with resin glands, and fragrant.
Flowers are inconspicuous with tiny roundish fruit covered with wax. You can
plant Bayberry in almost any soil in full sun. Water occasionally.

Uses:
Bayberry is a valuable astringent in diarrhea and dysentery. It can be used as a
douche for leucorrhea and can be gargled for sore throats. It can also be used
in the treatment of colds.

Part used:
bark of root. It should be dug up in spring or fall and it’s bark pared off and
dried.

Decoction:
Put 1 tsp. of the bark in one cup of cold water and bring to a boil. Leave for
10-15 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-3 ml of the tincture 3 times a day

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

BLACK HOREHOUND (Ballota nigra)

To grow:
No directions to grow

Uses:
Eases nausea where it is caused by the nervous system rather than the stomach.
Good for motion sickness, vomiting of pregnancy, and nervous vomiting. A
normalizer of menstrual function and also a mild expectorant.

Part used:
Dried aerial parts. Collect just as it begins to bloom in midsummer.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 1-2 tsp. of the dried herb and leave to infuse
for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day or as needed.

Tincture:
Take 1-2 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

CARAWAY (Carum carvi)

To grow:
Biennial herb. It has a mound of carrot-like leaves the first year and umbrella-
like clusters of white flowers above the foliage the second year. The Plant dies
after it’s seeds ripen in mid-summer. Start from seed sown in place in fall or
spring. Plant in well-drained soil in full sun. Water average. Thin seedlings to
1 1/2 ft.

Uses:
A calming herb used to ease flatulent dyspepsia and intestinal colic. Stimulates
the appetite. Increases milk flow during pregnancy, relieves period pains, helps
diarrhea, as a gargle helps laryngitis, and can be used in bronchitis and
bronchial asthma.

Part used:
Seeds. Collect the flowering heads in mid-summer and leave to ripen. Shake the
seeds off when ready.

Infusion:
Pour a cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of freshly crushed seeds and leave to
infuse for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

CATNIP (Nepeta cataria)

To grow:
Perennial. Grows 2-3 ft high. Downy gray-green leaves and clustered lavender or
white flowers at branch tips in June. This plant is an easy grower in light
soil. Water regularly. Reseeds itself.

Uses:
Catnip is a traditional cold and flu remedy. A Powerful diaphoretic used in many
feverish conditions. It eases stomach upsets, flatulence, dyspepsia, and colic.
It has a sedative action which relaxes the nerves. Another well known use is for
cats. Sprinkle it’s dried leaves over their food or sew it into a stuffed toy.

Parts used:
Leaves and flowering tops. Collect between early summer and early fall.

Infusion:
Pour a cup of boiling water over 2 tsp. of dried herb and leave to infuse for
10-15 minutes. Drink 3 times a day.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture 3-4 times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

CHAMOMILE (Chamaemelum nobile)

To Grow:
Evergreen perennial. Has soft-textured, bright green leaves that form a mat that
spreads 3-12 inches. Most common form has summer-blooming flower heads that
resemble small yellow buttons, others have daisy-like heads. Plant 1 ft apart in
full sun or light shade. Water moderately.

Uses:
An excellent, gentle sedative, safe for use in children. Used in anxiety and
insomnia. Use as a gargle for sore throats, a mouth wash for mouth
inflammations, or as an eye wash for sore eyes. Use as an inhalant over a steam
bath to speed recovery of nasal catarrh. Use externally to speed wound healing
and ease swelling.

Parts used:
Flowers and leaves. Gather the flowers between late spring and late summer when
they are not wet with dew or rain. Dry with care at not to high a temperature.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp. of dried leaves and leave to infuse for
5-10 minutes. Drink after meals for digestive problems. Make a stronger infusion
for mouthwash. Add half a cup of flowers to 2L of water for a steam bath. Cover
your head with a towel and inhale the steam.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

COMFREY (Symphytum officinale)

To Grow:
A Deep-rooted, clumping perennial that grows to 3 ft. Basal leaves are 8 inches
or more in length, shorter on top, and all furry with stiff hairs. Flowers are
1/2 inch long, usually a dose rose color, sometimes white, creamy, or purple.
Plant in full sun or partial shade. Water average. To keep leaf production high
cut out flowering stalks and mulch each spring with compost. Gardeners should
think hard before putting comfrey into your gardens. Plants spread freely from
roots and are difficult to get rid of. On the other side, some herb enthusiasts
claim it accumulates minerals and enriches compost.

Uses:
A Powerful healing agent in gastric and duodenal ulcers, hiatus hernia, and
ulcerative colitis. Will help hemorrhages when they occur. It will soothe and
reduce irritation while helping expectoration in cases of bronchitis and
irritable cough. May be used to speed wound healing and help guard against scar
tissue developing incorrectly.

Parts used:
Root and rhizome, leaf. Dig up the roots in spring or fall when the allantoin
levels are highest. Split the roots down the middle and dry in temperatures of
about 104-140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Decoction:
Place 1-3 tsp. of the dried herb in 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. simmer
for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times daily.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times daily.

*CAUTION:
The external application of Comfrey to very deep wounds may lead to scar tissue
forming over the wound before it is healed, possible leading to abscesses.

NOTE:
Leaves have been used as food for people and livestock-but they contain a
poison, pyrrolizidine, and should not be eaten.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

CORIANDER (Coriandrum sativum)

To Grow:
Annual herb. Grows 12-15 inches high with delicate fern-like foliage and flat
clusters of pinkish white flowers. Plant in good, well-drained soil, in full
sun. Grows quickly and sows itself.

Uses:
Helps the digestive system get rid of wind and the spasm pain (colic) that
sometimes goes with it. Eases diarrhea. The oil acts as a stimulant to the
stomach, increasing secretion of digestive juices, therefore stimulating the
appetite.

Parts used:
Ripe seeds. Collect the flowering heads in late summer and leave to ripen. Shake
the flowers then and collect the seeds will fall off easily.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water on 1 tsp. of the bruised seeds and leave to infuse
for 5 minutes in a closed pot. Drink before meals.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

DILL (Anethum graveolens)

To Grow:
Annual herb grows 3-4 ft. It has soft-leathery leaves and umbrella-like clusters
of small, yellow flowers. The seeds and leaves have a pungent fragrance. Sow in
place in full sun several times during the spring and summer for constant
supply. Thin to 1 1/2 ft apart. Dill sprouts and grows better in the spring than
in the summer.

Uses:
An excellent remedy for flatulence and colic. This is the herb of choice in
colic in small children. It stimulates the milk flow in a nursing mother and
chewing the seeds will clear up bad breath.

Part used:
Seeds. Collect the seeds when they are fully ripe (have turned brown) Spread out
to dry in natural heat.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the gently crushed seeds and leave to infuse
for 10-15 minutes. For flatulence, drink a cup before meals.

Tincture:
Take 1-2 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

ECHINACEA (Echinacea angustifolia)

To Grow:
No directions to grow

Uses:
Echinacea is the number one remedy to help rid the body of microbial infections.
Works against both bacterial and viral attacks. It can be used for boils,
septicemia, or any other infection of that sort. If used with other herbs it can
be used for infections anywhere in the body.

Parts used:
cone flower and roots. Dig up the roots in the fall. It is said that fresh roots
are more effective than dried roots.

Decoction:
Put 1-2 tsp. of the root into 1 cup of water and slowly bring to a boil. Let
simmer for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

FENNEL (Foeniculum vulgare)

To Grow:
Perennial herb, usually grown as a summer annual. Similar to dill, but coarser,
it grows to 3-5 ft high. It has yellow green, finely cut leaves with flat
clusters of yellow flowers. Grow in light, well-drained soil, in full sun.
Drought tolerant. Start from seed in place. Thin seedlings to 1 ft apart.

Uses:
An excellent stomach and intestinal remedy that eases flatulence and colic while
stimulating the digestive tract and appetite. It will increase the flow of milk
in nursing mothers. It may be used to ease rheumatism and muscular pains
externally. As a compress it will treat the conjunctivitis and inflammation of
the eyelids.

Part used:
Seeds. Harvest the seeds when they are ripe and split in the fall. Cut the brown
umbel off and comb the seeds to clean them. Dry slightly in the shade.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp. of slightly crushed seeds and leave to
infuse for 10 minutes. Drink three times a day. To ease flatulence drink a cup
half an hour before meals.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

GARLIC (Allium sativum)

To Grow:
Perennial. In areas with mild winters, plant between October and December for
early summer harvest. Where winters are cold, plant early in spring. Break bulbs
up into cloves and plant base downward 1-2 inches apart in rows 1 ft apart.

Uses:
One of the most effective anti-microbial plant available, acting on bacteria,
viruses and alimentary parasites. Used in respiratory infections such as chronic
bronchitis, catarrh, recurrent colds and influenza. It is helpful in the
treatment of whooping cough and asthma. Can be used as a preventive agent
against most infectious conditions. Will support the growth of the natural
bacteria flora while killing pathogenic organisms in the digestive tract. Will
reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels if taken over a period of
time. Externally it can be used for the treatment of ringworm and threadworm.

Part used:
Bulb. Dig up the bulb when the leaves begin to wither and fall over.

A Clove should be eaten three times a day. If smell is a problem, then switch to
garlic oil capsules. Take three once a day as a prophylactic or take one three
times a day when an infection occurs.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

HOPS (Humulus lupulus)

To Grow:
Perennial vine. Grow from roots (which are not easily found in nurseries)
planted in rich soil in early spring. Place thick end up just below soil
surface. Trellis’s or supports will be needed for vertical climbing. Shoots
appear in May and grow quickly to 15-25 ft by mid-summer. Water roots a lot once
rapid growth starts. Light green hops appear in August-September and have a
fresh, piney fragrance. Regrowth comes the next spring.

Uses:
Used for the treatment of insomnia. Will ease tension and anxiety. Can be used
in conditions such as mucous colitis. They may be used for the treatment of
ulcers externally.

Part used:
Flower inflorescence. Gather the cones before they are fully ripe in late summer
or early fall. Dry with care in the shade.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of the dried flowers and leave to infuse
for 10-15 minutes. Drink one cup a night to help induce sleep.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

CAUTION:
Do not use in cases of marked depression

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

HORSERADISH (Armoracia rusticana)

To Grow:
No directions to grow.

Uses:
Can be used in influenza and fevers as a rough equivalent to cayenne pepper. It
stimulates the digestive process while easing wind and griping pains. Also, for
urinary infections, rheumatism, and as a poultice in bronchitis.

Part used:
Tap root. Collect the roots in winter and store in sand.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of chopped or powdered root. Leave to
infuse for 5 minutes. Drink three times a day or more when used to treat
influenza or fevers.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

HYSSOP (Hyssopus officinalis)

To Grow:
Perennial herb. Grows to 1 1/2-2 ft high. Has narrow, dark green, pungent leaves
and a profusion of dark blue flower spikes that appear July-November. There are
also white and pink-flowered forms available. Plant in full sun or light shade.
Fairly drought resistant.

Uses:
It is used in coughs, bronchitis, and chronic catarrh. It can be used for the
common cold due top its diaphoretic state. As a Nervine it may be used in
anxiety, hysteria, and petite mal (a form of epilepsy).

Part used:
Dried aerial parts. Collect the flowering tops in late summer.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp. of the dried herb and leave to infuse
for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

LAVENDER (Lavandula angustifolia)

To Grow:
Classic lavender grows to 3-4 ft high and wide. Leaves are 2 inches long, gray,
smooth on margins, and narrow. Flowers are lavender, 1/2 inch long on 1/12 to 2
ft spikes in July-August. Plant in good soil. Water regularly.

Uses:
An effective herb for headaches. Can be used in the clearing of depression,
especially when used with other remedies. It can be used to soothe and promote
natural sleep. It can help ease the pains of rheumatism when used externally as
an oil.

Part used:
Flowers. Collect just before they open in early summer and early fall. Dry
gently in a room not above 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of the dried flowers and leave to infuse
for 10 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Oil:
Do not take the oil internally. It can be inhaled, rubbed on the skin, or used
in baths.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

MARIGOLD (Calendula officinalis)

To Grow:
Annual. Flowers from late fall through spring in mild-winter areas and spring to
summer in colder winter areas. Plants, somewhat branching 1-2 ft high. Leaves
are long, narrow, round on the ends, sticky, and slightly aromatic. Sow seeds in
place or in flats in late summer or early fall in mild winter climates or in
spring elsewhere. Plant in full sun. Adapts to most soils with ample or little
water, as long as drainage is fast.

Uses:
Use marigold wherever there is inflammation of the skin, external bleeding,
bruising, and minor burns. Internally it can be used in the treatment of Gastric
and duodenal ulcers. It helps relieve gall bladder problems and indigestion as a
cholagogue. It also helps delayed menstruation and painful periods.

Part used:
Yellow flower petals. Collect the petals between early summer and early fall.
Dry with great care to insure there is no discoloration.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 1-2 tsp. of the petals and leave to infuse for
10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

MARJORAM (Origanum vulgare)

To Grow:
Perennial herb. Upright growth to 2 1/2 ft. Spreads by underground stems. Leaves
are medium sized and oval. Purplish-pink blooms. Plant in sun, medium-rich soil.
It needs good drainage. Water average. Keep it trimmed to prevent flowering.
Replant every 3 years.

Uses:
Often used in the treatment of colds and flu. Can be used as a mouthwash for
inflammations of the mouth and throat. It can be used externally for infected
wounds and cuts. The Infusion is used in whooping coughs and coughs. As an oil
rubbed on the forehead or temples or as a tea it may be used to relieve
headaches due to stress. The oil can also be used for areas of rheumatic and
muscular pain. A lotion of marjoram will soothe stings and bites.

Part used:
Aerial parts. Gather as soon as it flowers. Do not gather the larger, thicker
stalks.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 1 tsp. of the herb and let infuse for 10-15
minutes. Drink three times a day.

Mouthwash:
Pour 1 PT of boiling water onto 2 tbs., of the herb. Let it stand covered for 10
minutes. Gargle for 5-10 minutes three times a day. Reheat to use again.

Tincture:
Take 1-2 ml of the tincture three times a day.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

MARSHMALLOW (Althaea officinalis)

To Grow:
No directions to grow.

Uses:
The root is used primarily for digestive problems, inflammations of the
digestive tract and on the skin. The leaves are used for the lungs and urinary
system. The leaf can also be used for bronchitis, respiratory catarrh, and
irritating coughs. Externally, the root is indicated in varicose veins, ulcers,
abscesses and boils.

Parts used:
Roots and leaves. Collect the leaves in summer after flowering and dig up the
root in late fall. Clean the root of root fibers and cork and dry immediately.

Decoction:
Put 1 tsp. of chopped root into 1 cup of water and boil gently for 10-15
minutes. Drink three times a day.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 1-2 tsp. of the dried leaves and leave to
infuse for 10 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

This herb can be used as a compress also.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

MISTLETOE (Viscum alba)

To Grow:
No Directions to grow but easily bought around Christmas time. If you do not
want to wait, you can find it easily in the Rocky mountains growing on trees.
You can probably find it anywhere in the U.S. growing on trees.

Uses:
Mistletoe will quiet, tone, and soothe the nervous system. It will reduce heart
rate while strengthening the wall of the peripheral capillaries. It will ease
blood pressure and ease arteriosclerosis. It has been shown to have some anti-
tumor activity.

Part used:
Leafy twigs. Collect the twigs in the spring.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp. of the dried herb and leave to infuse
for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day or as needed.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

CAUTION:
Do not use the berries.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

MUSTARD (Brassica nigra)

To Grow:
No directions to grow.

Uses:
It can be used as a mild irritant to the skin, which when applied, stimulates
circulation to that area and relieves muscular and skeletal pain. May be taken
as a tea or ground and sprinkled into a bath to relieve fevers, colds, and
influenza.

Part used:
Seeds. Collect the ripe seed pods in late summer. Tap the seeds out and dry in a
thin layer.

Poultice:
Mix 4 oz of freshly ground black mustard seeds with warm water to form a thick
paste. Spread on a piece of cloth the size of the body area to be covered. Lay a
damp gauze between the poultice and the skin to prevent the paste from sticking
to the skin. Apply the cloth and remove after 1 minute. If the skin is reddened
it can be eased with olive oil.
Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of mustard flour and leave to infuse for
5 minutes. Drink three times a day.

This may also be used as a footbath. Make an infusion using 1 tsp. of bruised
seeds to 1 L boiling water.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

OATS (Avena sativa)

To Grow:
No directions to grow.

Uses:
Oats can be used in cases of nervous debility and exhaustion when associated
with depression. It can be used with other nervines, both relaxant and
stimulatory to strengthen the whole nervous system. It can also be used as a
remedy for skin conditions.

Parts used:
Seeds and whole plant. Gather the seeds and straw in late summer at harvest
time. Cut and bound the stalks and leave to dry upright. Thresh out the fruit.
The straw is just the crushed dry stalks.

Fluid Extract:
Take 3-5 ml three times a day.

Bath:
Boil 2L of water and 1 LB of straw for half an hour. Strain the liquid and add
it to the bath.

The most common way to get oats is to eat them through porridge or oatmeal.

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PARSLEY (Petroselinum crispum)

See Coriander.
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PASSION FLOWER (Passiflora incarnata)

To Grow:
Perennial vine. Spreads prodigiously through root runners. It dies back at the
first frost. Flowers are 2 inches across with white and purple with white crown.
The fruit is 2 inches long, yellowish green, and edible. Grow from seed in any
soil with average water.

Uses:
Passion flower aids in the transition into a restful sleep without any
‘narcotic’ hangover. It may be used in Parkinson’s’ disease, seizures, hysteria,
and asthma as an anti-spasmodic. It can be used for nerve pain such as neuralgia
or shingles.

Part used:
Leaves. Collect the foliage alone before the flowers bloom between late spring
and mid-summer. It may also be collected with the fruit after flowering. Dry the
leaves in the shade.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 1 tsp. of the dried leaves and leave to infuse
for 15 minutes. Drink one cup a night for sleeplessness and a cup twice a day
for other conditions.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture and use the same way as the infusion.

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PUMPKIN (Cucurbita pepo)

To Grow:
For Jumbo-size, Halloween pumpkins, plant seeds in mid May or June. Plant is
sunny location. Allow a vine area of 8-12 ft in diameter. After the soil is
cultivated, dig a hole 4 inches deep where you will plant seeds. Put a shovelful
of manure in the hole and cover it with soil to level the ground. Plant 6-8
seeds, 1 in deep, within a circle 6 inches wide. If you want more than one set
of vines, plant the next circle 8 ft away. Water seeds after planting. When
plants are 4-6 inches high, remove all but the two best plants in the circle.
Water the pumpkins when you see the slightest sign of wilting, being careful to
not get the leaves wet. When the pumpkins are tennis ball size, remove all but 3
or 4 on each vine for a total of no more than 8 in each circle. If you want
extra large pumpkins remove all but one. Remove the pumpkins from the ends of
the vines, saving the ones closest to the main stem. Remove all flowers that
bloom after that. In late summer slide a wooden shingle under each pumpkin if
the ground is wet. If you have sandy soil you do not need to worry about this.
When pumpkins are the size you want, pick and do whatever it is you are going to
do with them. For smaller, regular pumpkins, plant in early spring in circles of
6-8 seeds with a diameter of 6 inches. Water well. Pick pumpkins when they are
the size
you want.

Uses:
The seeds have long been used as a remedy for worms and tapeworms.

Part used:
Seeds. Remove the seeds from the pulp inside the pumpkin.

Preparation:
Beat 2 oz of the seeds with as much sugar and milk to make a pint. Take this
fasting, in three doses, one every two hours. Drink castor oil a few hours after
the last dose.

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RASPBERRY (Rubus idaeus)

To grow:
Needs good drainage, dryish soil, and sun or light shade.

Uses:
Raspberry leaves have long been used to strengthen and tone the tissue of the
womb, assisting contractions, and checking any hemorrhage during labor. This
will happen if the herb is drunken continuously during pregnancy and taken
during labor. It can also be used in diarrhea, leucorrhea, and other loose
conditions. It is used in the easing of mouth problems such as mouth ulcers,
bleeding gums and inflammation. It will help sore throats.

Part used:
Leaves and fruit. Collect the leaves throughout the growing season. Dry slowly
in a well-ventilated area.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp. of the dried herb. Leave to infuse for
10-15 minutes. You may drink this freely.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

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RED SAGE (Salvia officinalis)

To grow:
Perennial herb. Grows 1 1/2-2 ft high. Leaves are 1-2 inches long, narrow, and
gray green. It has tall spikes of violet blue flowers. Can plant in poor, but
well-drained soil, full sun. It is fairly drought resistant. Cut back after
bloom and fertilize if you cut continually. Divide every three or four years.
Propagate from cuttings, layers, or seeds.

Uses:
It is most widely used as a remedy for inflammations of the mouth, gums, tongue,
throat, and tonsils. As a gargle it will help laryngitis, pharyngitis,
tonsillitis, and quinsy. It reduces sweating when taken internally and may be
used to reduce the production of breast milk. It stimulates the muscles of the
uterus and may be used as a compress to heal wounds.

Part used:
Leaves. Collect the leaves when the plant begins to flower in late spring or
early summer. Dry in the shade at a temperature not above 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp. of the leaves and leave to infuse for
10 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Mouthwash:
Bring 2 tsp. of the leaves and 1 PT of water to a boil. Let stand, covered for
15 minutes. Gargle deeply for 5-10 minutes several times a day.
Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

CAUTION:
Avoid during pregnancy

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ROSEHIPS (Rosa canina)

To grow:
Try to plant where roses will receive full sun all day. Avoid planting where
other shrubs or trees will steal water from the roses. Plant in well drained
soil. Dig soil deep and incorporate organic matter such as ground bark, peat
moss, or compost. Add complete fertilizer to soil at the same time and dig
supplemental phosphorous and potash into planting holes. Before planting bare-
root roses, immerse them in water for several hours. Be sure to make holes large
enough so you will not have to bend the roots or cut them back. Before planting
cut broken canes and broken roots just below the break. Set plant in the hole so
that bud union (knob from which the canes grow) is just above soil level. After
the rose is planted and has been watered well, mound soil or damp peat moss
around the bud union and the canes. Remove gradually after the leaves begin to
expand. You must water regularly. Water deeply so that entire root system
receives water. Big, well established plants need more water than new plants.
Apply nutrients fairly regularly. Feed when a blooming cycle has just ended and
new cycle is beginning. Stop feeding about 6 weeks before first hard frost.
Regular pest and disease control should be followed. Begin to control
aphids as soon as they appear. To prune, use sharp pruning spears. Remove wood
that is obviously dead or wood that has no healthy growth coming from it. Also
prune branches that rub against the plants larger canes or branches that cut
through the center. Each spring, remove 1/3 1/2 inch of the previous season’s
growth. Cut flowers as a form of pruning. Cut enough stem to allow rose to stand
in a vase but do not cut to much foliage from the plant.

Uses:
A good source of vitamin C. They help in the bodies defense against colds and
flues. They help in cases of constipation and mild gall bladder problems as well
as conditions of the bladder and kidney.

Parts used:
Fruit (hips) and seeds of the dog rose. Collect the hips in the fall.

Decoction:
Put 2 1/2 tbs. of the cut hips in a cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for
10 minutes.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

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ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officinalis)

To grow:
Evergreen shrub, herb. Rugged and picturesque, grows 2-6 ft high. Leaves are
narrow, aromatic, glossy, and dark green above, grayish white below. Flowers
grow in small clusters and are lavender blue, 1/4-1/2 inch. They bloom in winter
and spring, and occasionally in the fall. It endures hot sun and poor soil. You
must have good drainage for this plant. Once established, water it sparingly in
the desert. In other areas the plant needs little or no water. Control growth by
pinching tips when plants are small and by pruning older plants lightly.

Uses:
Rosemary is a circulatory and Nervine stimulant. Can be used for headaches,
dyspepsia, or depression associated with debility. It can be used to ease
muscular pain, sciatica, and neuralgia externally. It’s oil may be used on hair
follicles for premature baldness.

Parts used:
Leaves and twigs. Gather the leaves throughout the summer. The best time to
collect them is during their flowering time.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp. of the dried herb and leave to infuse
in a covered container for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-2 ml of the tincture three times a day.

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RUE (Ruta graveolens)

To grow:
Perennial herb. Grows 2-3 ft. It’s leaves are aromatic, fern-like, and blue
green. Flowers are small and greenish yellow, with decorative brown seed
capsules. Sow seeds in flats and transplant to 1 ft apart. Grows in good soil
with additions of lime to strongly acidic soil. Plant in full sun, water average
or minimal.

Uses:
It’s main use is the regulation of periods, where it is used to bring on
suppressed menses. It may be used to relax smooth muscles, especially in the
digestive system. It can ease spasmodic coughs. It increases peripheral
circulation and lowers elevated blood pressure. Chew the fresh leaf to relieve
headaches, ease palpitations, and other anxiety problems.

Part used:
Dried aerial parts. Collect the leaves before the flowers open in the summer and
dry in the shade.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp. of the dried herb and leave to infuse
for 10-15 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

CAUTION:
Rue’s oil is a powerful abortifacient and therefore should be avoided during
pregnancy

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THYME (Thymus vulgaris)

To grow:
Shrubby perennial herb. Grows 6-12 inches high. Leaves are 1/4 inch long, narrow
to oval, fragrant, and gray green. It has tiny lilac flowers in dense patches
June-July.
Uses:
Makes a good carmative for use in dyspepsia and sluggish digestion. May be used
externally as a lotion for infected wounds, but also internally for respiratory
and digestive infections. Can be used as a gargle for laryngitis, tonsillitis,
easing sore throats and irritable coughs. It can be used in bronchitis, whooping
cough, and asthma. It can also be used in childhood diarrhea and bed-wetting.

Parts used:
Leaves and flowering tops. Collect the flowering stems between early summer and
late summer on a dry sunny day. Strip the leaves off the dried stems.

Infusion:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp. of the dried herb and leave to infuse
for 10 minutes. Drink three times a day.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.