A Few Guides/Resources Regarding Herbs and Safety

Okay, so I’ve seen a few posts today that have spooked me a little. In them, their is recommended use of herbs that are in fact poisonous or can be harmful in larger doses. 

I understand that lots of these posts are by new witches, or indeed older witches (because sometimes, people who’ve been practising for a while - myself included - do forget that what we consider common knowledge, is on fact not) and witchcraft is a constant journey of knowledge, so this is not a berating post!

Instead, I’m just going to list a few resources on poisonous herbs.

A Practical Guide to Herbology

Lesson One: Medicinal Teas

When I was first starting out with herbology, I was living in a small village in Croatia with a total population of less than 100 people. We depended on homemade teas, salves and medicines to heal us since the nearest hospital was two hours away. We treated ourselves with the power of herbs, gifted to us by the Earth.

These days, we can purchase all the tools we need to grow both common and exotic plants. Dried herbs are also another good option, especially for those that cannot grow their own. And with these tools, we can craft our own medicines. 

For the first lesson, I’m going to focus on something simple: the art of crafting medicinal tea. 

Creating Tea Blends

When starting out with creating medicinal teas, it’s important to understand how each ingredient interacts with our bodies. Be sure that you’re not allergic to any of your herbs and that they won’t interact poorly with any prescribed medications that you’re on. For example, those who are diabetic should not take angelica root; folks who are allergic to ragweed should avoid chamomile. 

Here’s a list of common herbs and their functions for the purposes of crafting medicinal teas:

Angelica Root: Soothes colds and flu, reduces phlegm and fever. (Do not use if you are diabetic)

Basil: Eases headaches, indigestion, muscle spasms, insomnia; reduces stress and tension

Blackberry Leaves or Roots: Reduces diarrhea

Catnip: Soothes teething pain, colic, diarrhea, indigestion, anxiety, insomnia. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on Lithium or sedatives)

Calendula (marigold): Reduces fevers, soothes indigestion, gastrointestinal cramps, flu; antiseptic. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on sedatives)

Cayenne Pepper: Soothes coughs, colds, arthritis (topical), nerve pain, fever, flu; expectorant. (Avoid taking with medications that contain Theophylline).

Chamomile: Reduces insomnia, anxiety, stress, fever, indigestion; aids with sleep and pain relief. (May decrease effectiveness of birth control pills and some cancer medications, may increase the effects of warfarin; avoid if you are taking medications for your liver)

Cinnamon Bark: Soothes sore throats and coughs; anti-inflammatory (Avoid taking with diabetes medications)

Dandelion Root: Detoxifying, aids digestion, relieves constipation, laxative. (Avoid if on antibiotics, lithium or water pills)

Dandelion Leaf: Mild diuretic, potassium-rich (Avoid if on medication for liver)

Elderberries: Wards off colds and flu

Ginger: Eases morning sickness, nausea, colic, indigestion, diarrhea, fever, sore throats. (Avoid taking with medications that slow blood clotting)

Ginkgo: Relieves anxiety, vertigo, tinnitus; improves circulation, helps concentration; helps PMS. (Avoid taking with ibuprofen or with medications that slow blood clotting; numerous medications have interactions with ginkgo so speak to your specialist before use)

Ginseng: Aphrodisiac, mild stimulant, boosts immune system. (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting, and avoid taking with diabetes medications or with MAO inhibitors)

Goldenrod: Relieves gout and cramps

Lavender: Reduces anxiety, headaches, tension, stress, indigestion, IBS; antibacterial; antiseptic; disinfectant (May cause drowsiness; avoid if on sedatives)

Lemon balm: Relieves anxiety, cold sores, colic, insomnia, restlessness, indigestion; boosts memory (May cause drowsiness, avoid taking with sedatives)

Nettle: Reduces hay fever and arthritis; diuretic. (Avoid taking with diabetes medications, medications for high BP, sedatives, medications that slow blood clotting, and lithium)

Peppermint: Relieves nausea, anxiety, indigestion, IBS, colic, diarrhea, fever, coughs, colds; anesthetic (Avoid if you have acid-reflux disease; avoid taking with cyclosporine; avoid if on liver medications)

Pine Needles: Expectorant; antiseptic; relieves coughs, colds, fever and congestion

Rosemary: Improves focus, memory, concentration, BP, circulation; antiseptic; antidepressant; eases indigestion

Thyme: Antibacterial, antiseptic, eases coughs and colds, expectorant (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting)

Recipes

For those starting out, here are a few recipes for common ailments. As you start making your own teas, you’ll learn which blends of herbs work best for your body. Keep track of which ingredients and combinations are successful - with each steep, you get closer and closer to crafting your perfect personalized medicine cabinet.

Anxiety Relief - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp lemon balm Cold Relief - ½ tsp elderberry flower - ½ tsp thyme Mood Booster - ½ tsp lavender - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp rosemary Cramp Relief - ½ tsp basil - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp goldenrod Indigestion Relief - ½ tsp ginger - ½ tsp lemon balm - ½ tsp peppermint Expectorant - ½ tsp pine needles - ½ tsp nettle leaf - ½ tsp angelica root Insomnia - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp lavender Sore Throat Relief - ½ tsp cinnamon (or half a stick) - ½ tsp ginger - 1 tbsp honey Fever Break - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper - ½ tsp angelica root Flu Relief - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp lemon balm

—————————————————————————–

Photographs are under the Creative Commons License. Content is from my grimoire and is embedded with information from a variety of sources over the years. 

Updated 7 March 2018 with relevant warnings and to be consistent with other posts in this series.

Warnings:  All plant material should be sourced appropriately and responsibly for your own safety and well-being. Be certain that you are purchasing food-grade ingredients from a reliable retailer or supplier. Along these lines, not all dried herbs are meant for consumption so please be on the lookout for “external use only” labels - you do not want those products for this.

Do your own research regarding medicinal plants and usage, especially if you are sensitive or have allergies of any kind. If you are on medication(s), consult a doctor before use.

Finally, medicinal teas are a health supplement and not a substitution for professional medical and psychiatric aid. If you are experiencing any prolonged health and/or mental health issues, SEE A DOCTOR.

HOW TO CLONE YOUR HERBS

Ever seen another person’s herb garden and wanted one exactly like it? Want to buy loads of lovely herbs but don’t have the money? Or want to start a plant business don’t know where to start?

Well my friend, I have two words for you. Plant cloning. It’s natural, free and very easy to do.  

This method works best for herbs such as

Basically, what it does is allow you to take a cutting from one plant, and grow an entirely separate plant from it. This means that you could have an endless supply of herbs - you can take 20 cuttings from a single plant, and when they’ve all grown you’ll be able to take another 20 cutting from each of those plants! 

So how do you do it? Well it’s deceptively simple. Here’s how:

1. Start with your parent plant. Due to my recent obsession with basil, that’s the herb I’ve decided to go for.

2. Take a cutting - about 4-5 inches long. Make sure you do it just below a node (the place where the leaves join the stem, just like above in the picture)

3. If possible, try and cut the stem diagonally. This gives it a greater surface area to suck up water with.

4. OK, so this is pretty much what your cutting should look like. Make sure you’ve removed at least the bottom pair of leaves, but it’s good to remove a few sets as the plant can then concentrate on growing roots. 

5. Place the cutting in some water so that the stem is comletley submerged. I found old plastic shot glasses worked great for this, but you can also use pretty bottles or cups or whatever. 

6. Make sure you’ve picked the bottom leaves off, and that the nodes are in the water. This is because the new roots are going to grow out of these nodes, so obviously they’re going to need to be in the water. 

7. Put them in a sunny place where you can keep an eye on them. Above is a picture of the babies with their mummy! After about a week, roots should have grown out of the nodes. 

8. That’s it, you’re done! Once the roots are well developed, you can plant your herbs in to pots. Keep the soil moist and the herb in a sunny place, and soon it’ll be as big as the parent plant. 

You can use this method to get free herbs - instead of buying them all, why not just take cuttings from a friend or family member’s herbs and use them for your own garden? (with their permission of course) 

Or, take a lot of cuttings like I’ve done, pot them up and sell them for a profit!

Good luck and happy planting! ^-^

A Practical Guide to Herbology

Lesson Two: Healing with Aromatherapy

Among our senses, one of the most-looked over and powerful is our sense of smell. Aromas can help us recall happy memories - baking cookies with loved ones during the holiday season, the perfume or cologne of a loved one - as well as unpleasant memories. Through psychology, we’ve proven that, when recreating a scene, scents can be our most powerful allies in recalling past events in our lives.

Aromatherapy is the art of using scents to heal the body, mind and soul. We use scents in healing rituals, magic and spirituality frequently - it even manifests in religious practices such as Christianity when a pastor cleanses a space with incense.

Scents and Sensibility

Working with essential oils is really quite easy, but here are some precautions to take.

Dilute

It’s important to dilute your essential oils in a carrier oil before using them therapeutically. You should rarely apply an undiluted essential oil to your skin.

By diluting your essential oils in a carrier oil, you get a lot more use out of them and you also prevent skin irritations. Some common types of carrier oils are grapeseed, olive, flaxseed, almond and sesame oil. Use 30mL (2 tbsp) of carrier oil per 5-10 drops of essential oil.

Storage

Essential oils need to be kept away from light and air. It’s best to store them in dark-tinted bottles to prevent light penetration. With proper storage, most essential oils can last 1-2 years. However, citrus oils should not be used after 6-9 months.

Allergies

Before working with essential oils, be sure to do a skin allergy test. Many people have sensitive skin and it’s important to take precautions and avoid allergic reactions to both essential oils and carrier oils.

To test for allergies, simply place a drop of your chosen carrier oil on your skin. Check and see if there is a reaction over the course of 12 hours. Place one drop of essential oil in 15 drops of carrier oil and apply to your chest. Check and see if there is a reaction over the course of 12 hours. If there is no reaction, then you likely have no allergy to the plant or the oil.

Precautions

Please avoid essential oils if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Specifically, avoid: cardamom, coriander, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lemon balm, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, neroli, palmarosa, petitgrain, spearmint and ylang-ylang.

If you have sensitive or dry skin, it is best to avoid the following essential oils: black pepper, cinnamon, clove, grapefruit, lemon, lemon balm, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, orange, peppermint and spearmint. 

Healing with Essential Oils

When starting out with using essential oils for health purposes, it’s important to address one symptom or issue at a time. Limit your selection to a few different oils until you become more familiar with your tools. Once you get comfortable, start experimenting with making your own blends. As time goes by, you’ll see what works best for your body and you!

Stress

Stress often has the side effects of anxiety, upset stomach, heart palpitations and rapid breathing. One of the most common essential oils used to alleviate stress is peppermint - it relaxes the mind and body. Lavender is another good choice as it relaxes muscles and the vapors help regulate breathing.

Pain and Muscle Tension

Muscle tension and pain are something most of us are familiar with. When using essential oils to address this particular issue, it’s best to create a massage oil to rub the affected area. If you’re trying to relax muscles and ease pain, allspice and geranium are great choices.

Chest Congestion

Flus, colds, respiratory illnesses - we’re no stranger to those during the winter months. To use essential oils to treat this, apply a few drops of diluted oil across the chest and massage into the skin. I tend to use eucalyptus, but thyme is another great choice!

Concentration and Focus

Everyone experiences difficulties with focus and concentration; stress, lack of sleep, anxiety and depression are just a few possible culprits. To use essential oils for this, apply a few drops to the temples, middle of the forehead and the base of the neck. Rosemary and spearmint are great choices for this as they help you relax while improving mental clarity.

Fatigue

At the end of the day, many of us feel exhausted from school, work and just life in general. To help with this, place a few drops of essential oil on your wrists and rub them in. Citrus oils like lemon and lime work really well since they uplift mood, relieve fatigue and provide mental clarity and focus.

Insomnia

Sometimes we just can’t fall asleep. Place a few drops of essential oil on your forehead and at the base of your neck. Lemon balm and ylang-ylang are good choices for this as they promote restful sleep and reduce stress and anxiety.

Anxiety

This issue typically involves both the physical and mental parts of the body. To help alleviate anxiety, place a drop of essential oil on the forehead, base of the neck, wrists and along the collarbone or upper chest. Chamomile, lavender and lemon balm are excellent choices.

Recipes

Anxiety Relief 5 drops chamomile oil 5 drops lemongrass oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Stress Relief 5 drops peppermint oil 5 drops lavender oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Muscle-Tension Relief ½ tbsp ground allspice ½ tbsp ground nutmeg 5 drops geranium oil ½ cup carrier oil

Muscle Pain Relief ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp ground turmeric 5 drops rose oil 5 drops tea tree oil ½ cup carrier oil

Chest Congestion Relief 5 drops eucalyptus oil 5 drops pine oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Mucus Killer 2 tbsp nettle leaves 5 drops frankincense oil 2 cups carrier oil

Focus and Concentration ½ tbsp ground myrrh 5 drops rosemary oil 2 cups carrier oil

Mental Strength and Clarity 1 tbsp dried rosemary 5 drops peppermint oil 5 drops spearmint oil 2 cups carrier oil

Energizer ½ tbsp dried juniper berries 5 drops thyme oil 2 cups carrier oil

Citrus Energy 5 drops lemon oil 5 drops lime oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Sleep Easy 5 drops lemon balm oil 5 drops ylang-ylang oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Digestion Relief ½ tbsp dried catnip 5 drops ginger oil 5 drops spearmint oil 2 cups carrier oil

Common Essential Oils for Health and Wellness

Allspice: Reduces stress, calms, relaxes tight muscles, uplifts mood, improves digestion, natural disinfectant

Basil: Calms, relieves pain, relieves fatigue, improves mental clarity, purifies the body

Cardamom: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, improves digestion, improves mental clarity and memory

Catnip: Anti-diarrheal, relieves indigestion, relieves anxiety, uplifts mood

Chamomile: Reduces anxiety, promotes restful sleep and relaxation, relieves pain

Cinnamon: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, natural disinfectant, improves digestion, increases appetite

Clove: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, improves mental clarity, improves digestion, natural disinfectant

Coriander: Relieves pain, relieves fatigue, improves digestion, improves mental clarity and memory

Eucalyptus: Breaks up congestion, relieves pain, natural disinfectant, vapors help with breathing (asthma)

Frankincense: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, improves digestion, expectorant, sedative

Geranium: Relieves stress and tension, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, soothes itchy skin

Ginger: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, improves digestion, increases appetite

Juniper berries: Relieves pain, energizes, improves mental clarity and memory, anti-inflammatory, repels insects, soothes insect bites

Lavender: Relieves stress and anxiety, promotes restful sleep, uplifts mood, balances mood swings, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, natural disinfectant, breaks up congestion

Lemon: Balances the nervous system, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, improves mental clarity and memory, natural disinfectant

Lemon balm: Relieves anxiety and stress, promotes restful sleep

Lemongrass: Calms, balances nervous system, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, natural disinfectant, repels insects

Lime: Relieves fatigue, uplifts mood, natural disinfectant, improves mental clarity and memory

Mandarin: Reduces stress and tension, calms, uplifts mood

Myrrh: Helpful in meditation, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, aids in healing skin

Neroli and Orange blossom: Removes nervous tension, promotes restful sleep

Nutmeg: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, improves digestion

Palmarosa: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, uplifts mood, helps regenerate skin, anti-inflammatory

Peppermint: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, breaks up congestion, anti-inflammatory, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, increases appetite, soothes itchy skin, improves mental clarity and memory

Petitgrain: Reduces anxiety and stress, promotes restful sleep, uplifts mood, improves mental clarity and memory

Pine: Lessens pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, breaks up congestion, natural disinfectant, improves mental clarity and memory

Rose: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, aids in healing skin

Rosemary: Relieves pain, stimulates nerves, relieves fatigue, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, improves mental clarity and memory, natural disinfectant, repels insects

Spearmint: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, breaks up congestion, anti-inflammatory, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, improves appetite, improves mental clarity and memory, soothes itchy skin

Tea Tree: Relieves pain, natural disinfectant, aids in healing skin, vapors help with breathing

Thyme: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, uplifts mood, breaks up congestion, anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, increases appetite, improves mental clarity and memory, natural disinfectant

Ylang-Ylang: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, promotes restful sleep, uplifts mood, natural disinfectant —————————————– Images are under the Creative Commons License. Information is from a variety of books, websites and my personal experience working with essential oils.

Updated 7 March 2018 to include more warnings and to be consistent with other posts in this series of lessons.

Warnings:  

Do not apply undiluted essential oils directly to your skin. They are incredibly potent and are likely to cause irritation, burns and permanent scars. You must utilize an appropriate carrier oil for dilution - water is not acceptable.

Essential oils are not edible - DO NOT INGEST THEM. They are not used in tinctures, extracts or anything meant to be taken internally.

Diffusing essential oils can be toxic to your pets. Please do extensive research on which types of oils are not harmful to your pets.

Do your own research regarding medicinal plants and usage, especially if you are sensitive or have allergies of any kind. If you are on medication(s), consult a doctor before use.

Finally, aromatherapy is not a  substitution for professional medical and psychiatric aid. If you are experiencing any prolonged health and/or mental health issues, SEE A DOCTOR.

Okay so, it is the celebratrion of independence in my country and I feel very festive. Also, as a thank you token for being so damn good to me, I’ve decided to share some book with you! These are all files I’ve found over the years.

These are all books in Spanish

Harry Potter:

la Piedra Filosofal

la Cámara Secreta

el Prisionero de Azkaban

el Cáliz de Fuego

la Orden del Fénix

el Príncipe Mestizo

las Reliquias de la Muerte

John Green:

Bajo la Misma Estrella

Buscando a Alaska

Ciudades de Papel

Francesca Michielin (via maledettadaunangelo)

hello europe, could you please stop robbing us thanks

Words to use instead of decir

@languageoclock made this kind of vocabulary list for German “words to use instead of sagen”, and so I’m adapting/adding to the the list for Spanish as a kind of looser “words to use instead of decir” version

bisexual sombra anyways

Synonyms For Very

This masterlist is a masterlist of words that you may use alongside the word very, very being one of the most common words that are used when writing. I hope this helps you as much as it helps me in our writing seem more sophisticated and unique. 

A:

Very accurate - exact Very afraid - fearful Very angry - furious Very annoying - exasperating

B:

Very bad - atrocious Very beautiful - exquisite Very big - immense Very boring - dull Very bright - luminous Very busy - swamped

C:

Very calm - serene Very careful - cautious Very cheap - stingy Very clean - spotless Very clear - obvious Very clever - intelligent Very cold - freezing Very colourful - vibrant Very competitive - cutthroat Very complete - comprehensive Very confused - perplexed Very conventional - conservative Very creative - innovative Very crowded - bustling Very cute - adorable

D:

Very dangerous - perilous Very dear - cherished Very deep - profound Very depressed - despondent Very detailed - meticulous Very different - disparate Very difficult - arduous Very dirty - filthy Very dry - arid Very dull - tedious

E:

Very eager - keen Very easy - effortless Very empty - desolate Very excited - thrilled Very exciting - exhilarating Very expensive - costly

F:

Very fancy - lavish Very fast - swift Very fat - obese Very friendly - amiable Very frightened - alarmed Very frightening - terrifying Very funny - hilarious

G:

Very glad - overjoyed Very good - excellent Very great - terrific

H:

Very happy - ecstatic Very hard - difficult Very hard-to-find - rare Very heavy - leaden Very high - soaring Very hot - sweltering Very huge - colossal Very hungry - ravenous Very hurt - battered

I:

Very important - crucial Very intelligent - brilliant Very interesting - captivating

J:

K:

L:

Very large - huge Very lazy - indolent Very little - tiny Very lively - vivacious Very long - extensive Very long-term - enduring Very loose - slack Very loud - thunderous Very loved - adored

M:

Very mean - cruel Very messy - slovenly

N:

Very neat - immaculate Very necessary - essential Very nervous - apprehensive Very nice - kind Very noisy - deafening

O:

Very often - frequently Very old - ancient Very old-fashioned - archaic Very open - transparent

P:

Very painful - excruciating Very pale - ashen Very perfect - flawless Very poor - destitute Very powerful - compelling Very pretty - beautiful

Q:

Very quick - rapid Very quiet - hushed

R:

Very rainy - pouring Very rich - wealthy

S:

Very sad - sorrowful Very scared - petrified Very scary - chilling Very serious - grave Very sharp - keen Very shiny - gleaming Very short - brief Very shy - timid Very simple - basic Very skinny - skeletal Very slow - sluggish Very small - petite Very smart - intelligent Very smelly - pungent Very smooth - sleek Very soft - downy Very sorry - apologetic Very special - exceptional Very strong - forceful Very stupid - idiotic Very sure - certain Very sweet - thoughtful

T:

Very talented - gifted Very tall - towering Very tasty - delicious Very thirsty - parched Very tight - constricting Very tiny - minuscule Very tired - exhausted

U:

Very ugly - hideous Very unhappy - miserable Very upset - distraught

V:

W:

Very warm - hot Very weak - frail Very well-to-do - wealthy Very wet - soaked Very wide - expansive Very willing - eager Very windy - blustery Very wise - sage Very worried - distressed

X:

Y:

Z:

A/N: If you know of anymore words I can add please message me.

There are only two genders: yodelling and rapping

Albanian (Shqip) is the language native to Albania, Kosovo, Epirus (Greece), and a part of Macedonia. There are also centuries-old communities speaking Albanian-based dialects in Greece, Southern Italy,Sicily, and Ukraine.

For @tumankuqe

Things you don’t say to Spaniards