Class #3 Herbs

Class #3: Herbalism
by Reverend Dawn's Heart
aka Reverend S. Marie deFerbrache
of The Live Oak Experiential Church
02/23/99
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Herbal Preparation; Teas, Incense, Bath Salts, Decoctions & Compresses. The 5 easiest preparations for both medicinal and magickal use.

As with all medicinal programs, you should consult your licensed physician before trying anything on your own. If you have any unfavorable reactions, consult a professional immediately. Attempting any herbal program means you do so at your own risk.

Ground Herb: Looks like the leafy spices (like parsley) you buy in the store. Often you can achieve this state by crumbling it with your hands. If you use a Mortar (the bowl) & Pestle (the grinder stick), grind it in a circular pattern / motion. This motion (versus crushing straight up and down) helps to retain the herbs oil cells, which is were the strongest herbal benefits are stored.
Powdered Herb: Goes through one more step. After it's been crushed, put the herb in your small strainer and, (again in a circular motion) using your Pestle, grind / push it through the strainer. In general only powder what you need as this process breaks the oil cells. Powdered herb (in this fashion) is stronger then ground.

These recipes are given for use with a Microwave oven. If you are using a double boiler and cooking on a stove top, multiply the cooking time by 4.

Teas back to the top
Teas aren't just for drinking. They can be used in baths and as external rubs. You'll find many different tea recipes as you venture forth into herbalism. Most teas are made as follows: 1 - 2 tsp. of herb 1 cup of water Boil water, add the herb, steep for 5 minutes. If loose herb is used, strain before drinking. Add honey to taste (never milk and sugar in herbal tea).

Medicinal: Teas are an easy quick remedy to get into someone. I find that teas also work great for children as you can hide the taste with honey. In the summer you can add ice and make it a cool drink. If you really want to give a tea some zip, drink it while taking a hot bath. The bath gets your blood flowing better and speeds the relief where it needs to go.
Magickal: Using teas during magick can greatly assist your workings. You'll find recipes for focus, relaxation, meditation and many other things. I drink yarrow tea before and during tarot readings. Adding a pint of tea to a ritual bath will greatly improve your energy workings - just make sure you add the correct herbal tea for the working you're planning.

Incense back to the top
You can crush and burn any dried herb as an incense (use charcoals). Some recipes will call for saltpeter to help them burn better, I prefer using crushed pine. An easy incense recipe is as follows: 1/4 cup dried, crushed herb 2 TBLS dried, crushed pine Mix well and place between paper towels in a Microwave. Microwave, on high, for 3 minutes to remove any remaining moisture. Store in an air tight container and mark as incense. Should last up to six months. Burn as needed on charcoal.

Medicinal: Use incense in sick rooms and children's rooms where the person can not take something internally (be careful not to burn to close to the person - preferably at least 3 feet away). Use incense for mucus conditions. Incense can also be used in bedrooms, about 15 minutes before sleep, to relieve bad dreams.
Magickal: Incense is used in several magickal rituals. It's used to help focus the mind and purify areas. A little bit of research can yield many beneficial herbs that can be used to enhance the magick of your entire life. To purify an area before magick, use a straight pine incense. Pine destroys negativity.

Bath Salts back to the top
Whether you're planning a ritual bath or a healing bath, herbal, home made, bath salts can drastically increase the pleasure of this experience. 1 TBLS of powdered Herb or 2 TBLS or crushed Herb or 3 TBLS of fresh Herb, Fruit or Vegetable 2 TBLS of light oil (like sunflower oil) Place in a Microwave container and cook on high for 4 minutes. Place a coffee filter inside a coffee cup and pour the oil / herb mixture in. Lift the filter (so it's not touching the bottom of the cup) and let it drip for about an hour. In a container with a good seal, place 1 cup of epsom salts. Pour filtered oil in and immediately shake (vigorously) for about a minute. Place 1 to 2 oz in the bath, under running water. Enjoy!

Medicinal: Aaahh, there's nothing like a soothing bath to aid what ails you. Mint to clear sinuses, clove or rose to ease pain, lemon to invigorate and rosemary to take away the chill.
Magickal: Pine to purify before ritual, yarrow when doing tarot reading, lavender to draw your true love to you.
Note: Make sure you're not allergic to an herb before you put it in your bath.

Decoctions back to the top
What is a Decoction? A Decoction is nothing more then a very strong tea. 1 oz of dried herb or 2 oz of fresh herb 1 pint of water Place herb in a Microwave container and pour water over it. Cook on high for 5 minutes. Strain and make back to a pint by adding fresh water.

Medicinal: Adults should take 1/2 cup, 2 to 3 times a day (3 to 6 times a day for acute conditions). Children over 5 years old - half the adult dose. Infants - 1/2 or 1 teaspoon. Always consult a physician, especially for children. To use as a gargle, add a pinch of salt and gargle 3 to 6 times a day (children under six are generally unable to gargle).
Magickal: Using a Decoction versus a tea for magickal reasons can virtually triple the effect of the herb. Just make sure it's something you're supposed (or can) drink. Dilute it 1/2 and 1/2 with fresh water, you may still have to add a lot of honey to make a decoction taste good enough to drink.

Compresses                                      back to the top
    To make a Compress, soak bandage or linen in a Decoction for about a minute. Then wrap around the affected area, cover and leave it on for about 10 - 20 minutes. You can repeat this as often as needed, but watch the area for allergic reaction. I find that everyone is a little different here, but in general, use cold for inflammations, hot for joints and swellings, and warm for spasm, cramp, and muscle tension. Use hot alternating with cold for drawing. You can use the same method for both children and infants.
    Use a compress on chakras or hands, leaving it on through the working, to increase magickal ability without taking something internally.

Information shared on this site and/or during class is not intended to be a replacement for medical advice. Any person with a condition that requires medical attention should consult a licensed physician, qualified practitioner, or therapist. In addition; any herbal remedies that you try, you use at your own risk. This site, and the class, highly recommends you consult your health professional before trying anything new. Herbal remedies can be dangerous in certain circumstances and, there are no guarantees of potency or purity. The Live Oak Experiential Church, NightMoon, all other affiliates, all creators of this site, teachers, and contributing editors, can not be held responsible for your experimentation.

For books on how to make teas, incense, bath salts, decoctions and compresses check out Amazon.com.

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Classes: Herbalism 101 (preparation) | PathWorking | Ritual Design

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