the Witchen Kitchen Beginner Herbal

tammy December 9th, 2008

Since the kids have grown up and had kids of their own, it’s very seldom we are all together at the same time for meaningful activities anymore.  But Saturday turned out to be very magical for us in that way.  We got our first real snow (which only amounted to less than an inch, but hey!) while all of my kids were at the house with their children, so we decided to put up the Christmas tree together.

We’ve been using an artificial tree the last few years, but found when we hauled it out of the shed that mice had made their home in its branches this past season and had peed all over it!  Sorry, not putting the lovely odor of mouse pee all up in my house for Christmas!

So it was snowing, all the kids and grandkids were there together… seemed like perfect timing to go out in the woods and find a live tree this year.  And that’s just what we did.  It was a very special memory we made together, all of us bundled up tromping through the woods, AND we found a beautiful, fat cedar in the perfect shape.  It’s bare on one side, but with that side against the wall you can’t really tell.

At first I had a few reservations about cutting down a perfectly healthy and living tree just to indulge our holiday hoopla, but I have since come to terms with that.  Part of being on a spiritual and sacred earth walk means understanding that all living things participate and contribute to the whole of life, sometimes in life and sometimes in death.

We take the lives of plants and animals everyday to sustain and enhance our own lives.  The hard truth of the matter is that no life can continue unless something else dies to feed it.  I also believe that in some mysterious way, when we honor and gratefully receive these gifts, each living being that gives its life does so as a willing participant.  It is good to honor these everyday sacrifices and give heartfelt thanks when we eat a meal, use a plant for medicine, or even cut down a live Christmas tree.

I believe that in the grand scheme of the Universe, this particular tree we brought home grew in that very spot, to just the right size and shape, for just that moment when it gave its life to be a part of our family’s unity and love.  We will honor and embrace that sacrifice.

When I went to put water into the tree stand after we had set it up, one of the grandchildren asked me if the tree was going to keep growing.  I told him, no, it would begin to dry out and it would die within a few weeks.  He was sad about that and thought maybe we shouldn’t have cut it down.  I had to scramble to explain to him the understanding I had come to about life and death and this humble tree, in a way that he could understand.  I also wanted to find a way that we could honor the tree’s life, one that would be meaningful to the children.

What we came up with was that after Christmas, when we take down all the decorations, we will carry our tree to our bonfire spot and have a grand smudging ceremony!  Cedar is a traditional sacred smudging herb, and this seems a fitting end for our lovely tree.  We will thank our tree for being part of our family celebrations and for making our holiday so special.  Then we will burn the tree and watch it’s spirit rise up to return to the Great Spirit, carrying our prayers with it.  The children think this is a great idea and they are excited.

I used to feel so sad when, the week after Christmas, I would drive through my city and see all the dead and discarded Christmas trees lying on the curbs up and down the streets, with stray pieces of tinsel still clinging in odd places, just waiting for the garbage trucks.  The holiday was over and now they were just thrown out like nothing special, the people moving unceremoniously on to the next thing.  I am very glad to have found a way to make the death of our Christmas tree just as meaningful and special as all the rest of our celebrations.

Bringing an evergreen tree into the house to decorate and celebrate around is but one of the many ways to mark the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, with the days growing longer and longer thereafter.  Many religious mythologies symbolize this phenomena of “light triumphing over darkness.” Whether you celebrate the return of the sun to longer days, or the coming of the Son, or something else entirely, may you all find special meaning for this holiday season.

• Earth Spirituality , Wild Crafting , Wise Woman Wisdom
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tammy November 19th, 2008

See that big rock down by woods edge?  It’s a solid piece of quartz, as are all the babies around it.  That’s my future meditation and medicine garden, which I plan to build up come Spring.

The big rock faces East and has a perfect little depression on the top for my behind to rest comfortably.  The babies in front make perfect stepping stones up to it.

When the foliage is gone in the Fall and early Spring, I have often sat there early in the morning to meditate as the sun comes up.  My plan is to clear some space and plant a medicine garden all around it so I can have access all through the Summer too.

Here is a view from atop the rock.  Directly in front there is a huge rose quartz stone embedded in the ground.  If you look carefully you can see the Stone Person in it.

Here is a closer view from a few weeks ago before all the foliage was gone.

It’s a powerful place, and I look forward to spending a lot of time there.

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tammy October 30th, 2008

After my recent post on Tree Medicine my friend, Sarah Head, suggested I make my own set of Ogham Sticks.  She was even kind enough to send along detailed instructions from the classes she teaches on the topic.  I had not heard of Ogham Sticks before, but was immediately intrigued when I learned they were a divination tool made from trees. Thank you Sarah!  What a creative, healing, and so very appropriate project for me to do over these upcoming Winter months!

As I learned from Sarah, to make a set, you only need to respectfully and reverently collect sticks of the size and shape desired from a variety of trees of your choosing, then polish and decorate the sticks as you like, being sure to mark the name of the tree (or other symbol) so you can remember which stick represents which tree.  The finished product can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. I liked Sarah’s suggestion to take wood from fallen branches already offered by the tree.  If taking from the live tree, she suggests doing so while the tree sleeps during the cold months.

The finished sticks can be kept in a special bag or other container, and then when you need tree medicine, you can “draw” one or more sticks from the bag. Together with an understanding of the symbolism and energy of the tree(s) you have drawn, very useful insight into your situation can be gained. This is similar to drawing Runes or Tarot, or even meditating upon a random Bible passage — ALL spiritual traditions have some means of consulting a higher wisdom through symbols or story for the purpose of growth and understanding in ones everyday life.  It is “Story Medicine,” as Susun Weed calls it.

Though traditional Ogham Sticks can be a part of well-defined ritual and ceremony, where there are the Ogham alphabet symbols engraved on them, a certain number of sticks, and specific types of trees to use, I do not plan to follow those particular guidelines to make mine. At this point in my path, I’m not looking for traditional meanings so much as I am wanting to develop a very personal tool to help with my own growth and understanding of tree medicine, and a way to connect more meaningfully with that wisdom.

Instead of making a traditional set, I will allow my own set to evolve over time from those trees that I develop a special connection to right here in my own backyard, one tree at a time, over as many years as it takes to meet all the Tree People I need to meet!  I think it will be very fulfilling for me to do in-depth research on each tree as I go along (meditative, books, science, all together) and then translate that understanding lovingly into the symbolic form of an Ogham Stick to represent each Standing Person.

I am going to start my set with the lovely Sweetgum, which has star shaped leaves that smell heavenly when crushed.

She really stands out along the edge of the forest in the summer because of the unique shape of her leaves.  She practically shouted for me to pay attention to her as I walked past one day.  She is no less quiet in the Fall.  Just look at that fire!  A good place for me to begin, I think.

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tammy October 16th, 2008

In the spiritual tradition of my Native American ancestors, the trees are known as the Standing People. They are the great and wise chiefs of the Green Nations.  Their roots run deep into Mother Earth and their branches reach high toward Father Sky.  They are deeply connected to both the physical and spiritual realms, wise and generous.  I spent some time among them this morning seeking wisdom, peace, rest.

As I lay gazing upward at the quivering, multi-colored leaves, an occasional gust of wind would send the brightest ones spiraling down like dry rain to catch in my hair and caress my face.  I tried to get a photo of one of these leaf showers, as it was an achingly beautiful sight, but it was a Zen moment that simply could not be captured.

Here is another view from my hammock instead.

I’ve been feeling generally stuck for some months now in several major areas of my life, desiring a big change, not knowing what to do or how to make myself feel better.  Each small step I have managed forward seems overwhelmingly insignificant compared to the thousands more that must yet be walked.  Lots of thinking going on in my mind these days about what is really important to me and how I want to live the second half of my life. A midlife crisis perhaps?

It must be time for the medicine wheel to turn… a new stage of life approaches.  The Standing People are making this journey now also. They have many lessons for me, I think.

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tammy September 23rd, 2008

This exquisite flower was my gift from Mother on the fall equinox.  Isn’t it gorgeous?  Its flowers have the most divine scent, not quite like anything I’ve experienced before.

I was walking and enjoying a beautiful equinox day outside when I unexpectedly spotted her.  She called me down to sit a while and visit.  Literally.  I felt compelled to sink down and sit, as naturally as if I had gone to that spot for no other purpose than that.

I have no idea its name yet, but I know it is going to be an important plant for me. These photos aren’t the best for plant ID, but if you know what this is, please let me know!  I only saw the one.  I hope there are more.

• Earth Spirituality , Wild Crafting
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tammy May 4th, 2008

Just a few days ago, I could look throught the forest to the other side.  There was a fuzzy green halo around everything, but I could still see the creek through the trees and the leaf littered ground and the neighbors houses. 

Today I can only see an intricate wall of lovely green.  Isn’t it beautiful?

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tammy April 22nd, 2008

Most people think of sunny days for gardening. Not me. I like to plant and weed and mulch during the gentle drizzle of a warm Spring rain. Father Sky makes love to Mother Earth and the ground is wet and fertile. The soil is loose and the plants and seeds eagerly take root. Gardening is effortless.

We’ve just had a string of such magical days and I’ve been taking advantage of every one of them to get my baby plants into the ground and the beds cleaned out from the Winter.

While the rain pours down I get drenched to the bone and my toes squish in the mud. I don’t even need a shovel or a spade. I just push my bare hands into the soil and shape an opening to receive the new plants. The smell of the moist earth is intoxicating. I am one with the rain and the dirt, a co-creator in the miracles of Spring.

I’ve got dirt so far under my fingernails it’ll be days before I get it all out, and my muscles are pleasantly sore from the stooping and digging. But my garden is growing and my joy is complete.

• Earth Spirituality , Organic Gardening
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tammy April 13th, 2008

This morning my hands smell like wet spring dirt mixed with sunshine and a bit of sugar… ahhhhh!  It’s the lovely, sharp fragrance of dandelion sap.  I’ve been outside popping flowers from their springy stems all morning.  Before I began, I thanked the plant for all the help its roots and leaves gave me this past winter and asked if I could use its flower medicine (of course!).  Then I hooked my first two fingers just below the bud, pulled gently, and POP, off they snap.  I went all around the yard doing this, and gathered a quart of them to make dandelion flower oil. 

Dandelion is such an incredibly nourishing and healing herb, it is hard to figure out where to start listing its uses.  I’ve used the root and leaves extensively for things like indigestion and acid reflux, water retention, and just plain nourishment.  But I’ve not yet used the flowers specifically.  I’m making this oil to try it out as a breast massage oil, muscle tension reliever, and skin beautifier.  Here’s what a few of my favorite herbalists have to say about Dandelion flowers:

“Dandelion flowers steeped in olive oil are a wonderful moisturizer and a great tension relieving massage oil.  These beautiful golden blossoms possess the ability to help release emotions held in the muscles.”  -Gail Faith Edwards, Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs

“Make a dandelion flower oil and use wiz your Wise Woman touch to ease the pain and help heal those wiz stiff necks, arthritic joints, sinus headaches, back tension, and weepy, swollen skin sores.” - Susun Weed, Healing Wise (Wise Woman Herbal Series)

“The Dandelion is a plant of the sun and has been associated with the sun since very ancient times.  It’s color, disklike shape, and raylike florets resemble the sun in miniature, and the rising and setting of the sun influence the opening and closing of the flowers.” - Maida Silverman, A City Herbal

Since I carry almost all my emotional tension in the muscles of my back, shoulders, and neck I am quite anxious to see if Dandelion flower oil will be able to help me relieve some of that.  I also am attracted to the symbolism and historical lore of this plant.  In addition to being associated with the sun, the name of Dandelion means ”tooth of the lion” and its flower head has been compared to a lion’s mane.  As my sun sign is Leo the lion, I do feel a certain kinship there!

I first learned to make herbal oils by the simplers method: fill the jar with fresh herb, cover completely with olive oil, cap tightly, let sit for 6 weeks or more in a cool dark place.  I’m still following that for most of my herbal oils, however, I’m now reconsidering the “cool, dark” part of it in some cases.  I think some plants, especially those that contain sunshine medicine, like Dandelion, may be more potent if left to brew in the healing rays of the sun.  I’ve heard this over and over from different herbalists regarding St. John’s Wort (that fabulous red color of good SJW oil comes from brewing in the sunshine).  I’ve also discovered that pine oil brews best in the sunshine — the warmth helps pull out all those lovely aromatic resins into the oil much better.

So, since a big part of the medicine I am trying to capture with Dandelion is its living sunshine, I think I’ll sit this one in the window to brew.  I’ll let you know how it turns out!

• Cosmetics, Body Care , Earth Spirituality , Herbal Remedies , Wild Crafting
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tammy April 1st, 2008

I’m excited to be participating for the first time in the herbal blog party this month, being hosted by Ananda at Plant Journeys.  This month’s topic is “Mythical plant personalities.”  Below is my contribution..

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I’ve spent a great deal of time this last year trying to get to know the plants all around my house.  I want to know more than just what a book can tell me about their chemical make up, their botanical name, or how to use them for medicine or food.  No, that’s not enough.  I want to also know them as unique spirits.  My favorite herbalists, who often write about their own relationships with plants, assure me that plants do have unique personalities, and that they can communicate with us if we will learn how to listen to them.

So this past year I’ve been teaching myself to listen.   

Long walks, stepping gently.  Sitting in the grass, sitting in the forest, exchanging breaths.  Gentle touches.  Watching carefully.  Tuning into my heart, sending out love.  Responding with joy when they send some love back to me.  It’s all quite fulfilling.

The first plant to introduce herself to me was the Self-heal, last Fall.   I kept noticing it in passing, as I was rushing in or out of the house, off to that appointment or this errand. I kept saying I was going to look closer… just as soon as I could find the time.  When I finally did stop to pay attention the summer was gone and we were well into Fall, and the patch had nearly died back.  But there was this one beautiful stalk still flowering, thank goodness.  If there hadn’t been, I’m not sure I would have been able to identify her.

I sat with her and thumbed through my field guide until I found out her name.  I carefully examined the beautiful crown of flowers she wore, and was struck by how it seemed to want to sing, yet could not make a noise.  I almost thought if I could just listen a little bit closer I would actually hear the sounds.  It reminded me of myself and my painful shyness, and how difficult it often is for me to shout out my song, my truth.  I knew that there was much this plant could teach me. 

This interaction was so much different from all the times I had read my favorite herbalist’s account of a plant, and then gone out to find it and use it in the ways they had described.  No, in this case the Self-heal reached out to me, and not the other way around.  It spoke its truth to me directly.  I understood at least part of its medicine through my heart.

That was my first encounter with a plant spirit but since then I’ve met lots of other plants and began to get a taste of just how unique and varied their personalities can be.  After two years of sharing the same ecosystem, I sense that they are all finally getting used to me around here, and they convey themselves to me more and more often.  I am even beginning to discover certain “neighborhoods” around my land, each having a distinctly different energy. 

The young saplings in the forest on one side of the meadow are very playful.  Last week I was walking there where I discovered an evergreen plant growing at the base of many of the trees – the Spotted Pipsissewa, Chimaphila maculata (more on that soon!).  I bent down to examine it more closely and snap a photo.  Then when I stood up, the spindly branches of a skinny young tree caught in my hair and gently raked its boney fingers through, caressing my scalp as it moved along my head.  I had the distinct impression that the tree was intentionally petting me! 

When I stood up and looked around, still amazed and slightly awed at having been petted by a tree, the young Beeches nearby appeared to be giggling!  Every one of the faded dry leaves still clinging to their branches from last season were trembling and wiggling as if the tree was hopelessly caught in a fit of shaking laughter.  I couldn’t help but laugh myself.  It was a very joyful moment.

But on the other side of the meadow, the forest is ruled by a very wise and commanding Oak.  The moment you step among the trees the feeling of being in a sacred space is palpable.  There is no leaf litter in this neighborhood.  Only many ancient layers of spongy, peaty soil.  There is no sound when you walk.  The air is cool and permeating.  The holy silence is audible.  The Oak in the center is easily two of my arm spans in width. As soon as I saw it I was filled with pure awe. I walked up to it and put my arms around it as far as I could.  I felt loved and protected.  I just leaned into it and let the raw strength flow into me.  It seemed I was in the presence of a fearsome, yet gentle and wise, lover. My heart grew at least two sizes during that embrace. 

And then there’s the Poke that keeps showing up at my door.  Literally, it grew right by the front door last year, so that the storm door would knock into it every time we opened it.  My husband kept pulling it down, and it just kept growing back.  I find this plant the most intriquing yet, a little sharp around the edges and a bit of dark mystery and danger there.  It seems a little harder to get to know, not quite as friendly as the others so far, but I’m definitely drawn to it.  I think it, too, has much to teach me, so I’ll be spending a lot of time with it this year.  

I’ll keep you posted on the lessons it shares, as well as probably introducing many, many new plant friends during this growing season.  Stay tuned!

• Blog party , Earth Spirituality , Wild Crafting , Wise Woman Wisdom
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tammy January 31st, 2008

Is it just me, or have we had enough winter already? January and February can be so looong! I’m definitely welcoming Imbolc, the mid-winter holiday that looks eagerly forward to Spring.

This celebration is not a well-known holiday, at least it wasn’t for me until recently, but I have definitely come to embrace it as my own. For me, it is a time to renew my sure hope that Spring is coming very soon, and these short, dreary, cold days will be behind us.

I think Imbolc comes at the perfect time, around February 1st or 2nd, depending on which tradition you follow, which is right between the two dreariest months of the year. It is also halfway between the winter solstice (~December 20, shortest day of the year) and the spring equinox (~March 20). It’s a time to remember that the sun is surely returning to us to spread its life giving warmth throughout the land once again!! Read more about Imbolc and the different ways to celebrate here.

This eagerness for Spring is marked in many different ways across different cultures. I am most familiar with Groundhog Day, which tries to predict how much more winter we can expect depending on whether the groundhog sees his shadow or not. But observing groundhogs seems less than exciting to me, and really not a fitting celebration for something so magnificent as the return of Spring.

Instead, here is a sparkling, magical way to celebrate that I plan to implement this year: I am going to make magic wands with my grandchildren that we will then use to take around the yard and wake up all the spring fairies and sleeping vegetation. (This idea was posted on a group forum that I read, and the source was unknown)

Magic Wands to Wake Up Spring

For this fun activity, each person makes a magic wand from straight sticks found in the forest outside, and then we glue or tie on a variety of decorations, such as streamers, sparkles, jingle bells. The crowning jewel of the wand can be an acorn.

Avery, Kelsea, & Shaun off to wake up Spring

Then everybody takes their wand and we go all around the yard and through the forests and into the meadow, tapping the trees and plants, shaking our jingly magic wand, and say “Wake up, wake up from Winter’s sleep!” The Spring fairies will hear us and wake up also, then they will sprinkle magic fairy dust all through the land.

Then in a few weeks we will begin to see purple and yellow flowers poking curious heads through the ground. The trees will swell with cotton candy blossoms. The whole world will turn the softest shade of green.

Spring WILL return!! I can’t wait!

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