The Herb of the Year

The International Herb Association has picked an entire genus* of herbs this year as the herb of the year! To celebrate, let's talk about Wormwood, a fantastic member of the Artemesia genus.

This silvery green beauty, with its drooping yellow flowers, is bitter! It also has a pungent taste and a dry cold feel in the mouth.  The name, absinthium, means “without sweetness” in Latin, while one legend about the name wormwood is that is comes from the German “Werrnut, or “preserver of the mind”.  The herb, or above ground parts, are harvested when it is in full bloom.

Wormwood is traditionally used to stimulate the liver and gallbladder. For this reason, it has been an ingredient in a number of  bitter digestive tonics.  It also has a history of if use removing some parasites from the body - hence "wormwood".  It can also move the uterus - harshly! That makes it a no no during pregnancy (nursing too, actually).  

Externally it has a history of use in healing insects bites, strain, sore feet, and more.

A major component of Absinthe, the thujone is thought to be addictive and damaging to the nervous system, and the discovery of its presence in the drink Absinthe lead to the ban of the alcoholic beverage Absinthe throughout Europe at around the turn of the eighteenth century to the nineteenth.  Several people are credited with inventing the liquor.  Van Gogh is rumored to have been an addict.  It has been replaced in Absinthe liquor to some degree by the milder Roman Wormwood, Artemesia pontica.

There are many warnings associated with Wormwood, please check with an herbalist or physician trained in the use of this herb before using!

*What's a genus?!?  For an herbal fan, the first thing to know about genus is that is it the first half of the Latin name you usually see in books: Artemesia absinthum and Artemesia dracunculus are both in the same genus (Artemisia), but they are very different plants - Wormwood and Tarragon!  It is a bit like having a last name.  The second half of the Latin name is like the plant's first name.

Charging a Talisman

A talisman is any magical item which is used to attract or repel specific influences, such as a talisman for love, or a talisman against scorpions. Talismans come in many forms, but rings and pendants are some of the most common. What makes the item magical, you might ask? You do!

As an item moves through the world it naturally takes on some of the energetic charge of what it is exposed to, especially emotion. Charging, or consecrating, a talisman is the conscious direction of these mental and emotional states into an item, so that it continues to radiate these energies and may affect us or others in the future.  A consecration can be anything as simple as holding an item in your hand and saying a short prayer, to an elaborate multi-day ceremony involving fasting and meticulous astrological calculations. Basically, a consecration can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. Here is an outline for a sample ritual for the consecration of a love talisman, which will illustrate in more detail some of the considerations involved:

First, you may want to perform the ritual on a Friday, as it is the day of Venus, the traditional planetary ruler of all things related to love. 

It is important that the space you are going to work in is free from clutter and any distractions; so turn off the phone, etc. Next, consider lighting candles and/or incense which represent the desired effect to you, in this case love. Common candle colors are red for passion, pink for gentle love, and white for the Divine Love. Sandalwood or rose are good incense choices.  You may also want to have a few stones with you, such as rose quartz and/or emerald.

Now it is time to create the sacred space for the working to take place within. This can be done in many ways, the most common being the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, or a Wiccan circle casting. For those unfamiliar with either of these methods, it is enough to pray for divine presence and know that your space is sacred. Creating a circle around the working area with salt is also a good option.

Next, take at least a full minute to breathe deeply and focus your intention. Say out loud the purpose of the ritual and, when you are ready, place your hands on or just above the object you are consecrating. Form a mental image of what you wish the talisman to accomplish and feel the qualities that you wish to imbue it with as strongly and as clearly as possible. Now, imagine this image and feeling flowing out through your hands and into the object. It can be helpful to do this over several breath cycles, focusing your intention on the in-breath and projecting it into the object on the out-breath.

It is important to note that this ‘projection’ is the most important step in the process and also the most common point for things to go awry, especially in the case of love magick. It is essential that you project only the qualities which will help attract love, otherwise the talisman may be ineffectual, or may even work against you. For example, very few people are attracted to desperation; if you project your desire or longing into the talisman, that’s what it will radiate. It is far better and more effective to project feelings such as warmth and confidence, traits universally seen as attractive.

Take another minute to breathe and feel a sense of profound gratitude wash over you. Open the circle, do another Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, or end the ritual however you see fit. You’re done! Keep talisman on your person, or in an area where you will see it often.

-ADAM WOLTER

Check out the fab talismans at the Magus Books website!

Choosing the Right Divination Deck

The perfect deck can open the doors of perception and bring new realizations to mind, enabling the person using the deck to envision new possibilities and even avoid pitfalls.  Cards help us to organize our thoughts and even receive information from our higher power.  Finding the best deck is an important part of bringing the best of ourselves into being.  How do we find the best deck?  Here are a few basic guidelines to help.
 
If there is no strong impulse toward an oracle deck because of its subject matter, like angels, labyrinths,  birds, or native American spirituality, then deciding if tarot is the best form of divination deck is the first step.  This classic form of divination deck is scary for some, but an invaluable tool for others.  It contains cards meant to symbolize great change, hardships imagined and real, and also great joy, true love, and a comfortable life.  If the symbolism of a tarot deck brings a strong sense of meaning, then tarot is a good choice.  If the symbolism is too gruesome or frightening, then another kind of oracle deck is a better choice.
     
One of the benefits of tarot is that the decks are fairly standardized and once the first tarot deck is easy to read, any tarot deck becomes very easy to pick up and read.  That makes finding a new, even better deck a joy!

If  tarot sounds great, then take a good look at a number of decks. Aeclectic.net is a good place to explore decks, but keep in mind that sites like this one will include both decks available and decks that are out of print and no longer available.  Cross referencing with a good oracle deck supplier is a great idea.  

I recommend www.MagusBooks.com.

When seeking out a tarot deck, look for art that is appealing.  A deck that is beautiful to the eye of the beholder is a deck that will get used.  Using a deck is the best way to understand how it works and how to get the best readings from it.
 
What if tarot is not so appealing?  Then there are many choices and lots of freedom.  These decks can have as few as 20 cards, as opposed to the 78 cards in a tarot deck.  A first deck might be more fun if there are fewer cards to learn before it becomes easy to give a reading.
 
Oracle decks usually have a theme that can teach more than how to read, but also the traditional meanings of things from angels to animals, to cats.  Often a particular culture is the inspiration for the deck, so it is possible to find a deck on animals that draws on Celtic lore, for example, or, a deck that draws inspiration from The Lord of the Rings.  Sometimes the decks take a multicultural perspective and it it becomes possible to learn lore from ll over the world on a favorite subject.  Choose an area of interest and look for a deck that fits!

While all decks come with a small guide book included with the deck, some also have a full sized book available as well.  These are often sold in sets with the deck and are great for further guidance.

The most important rule?  Play!  Enjoy any deck you choose, use them wisely and as skills and experience grow, be prepared to be thrilled with a new deck every now and then.

Romance is in the Food

It is true!  Romance can be enhanced by adding a pinch of this or a fistful of that to a bottle of wine or a tasty dessert - even as part of a romantic bath.  The key lay in understanding which herbs might be the most helpful for the person taking them.  Some herbs heat, others cool, some herbs dry, some bring moisture.  These differences are a part of the key to understanding which herbs are more likely to help.  Below are three possible choices.

So ask, "Am I the first person to turn on the air conditioning the summer, or the person most likely to turn up the heat in the winter?"  "Do I need lotion for dry skin frequently, or is my skin a little damp compared to others?"  Use questions like these to get a picture of which herbs might help most.  

If colds hands and feet are a frequent complaint, then perhaps our first herb may have a big impact:

Damiana, or Turnera diffusa, is a great herb for anyone wanting to relax into a fun evening.  Traditionally a warming herb, it brings blood to smaller vessels on the body and contains "phytotestosterone" - a naturally occurring chemical that the body responds to as though it were testosterone.  Since testosterone plays an important role in passion and drive, Damiana is a terrific herb for a cold romantic night.  It acts on the body with about an hour and the effects last for one to three hours, generally, but the effects do build over time and daily usage is often a good idea.  It is possible to make tea with a teaspoon of Damiana in a mug of boiling hot water, and it has a pleasant peppery taste, but t can be included as a cooking spice in this tasty carrot soup:

Carrot Soup

2 Tablespoons butter or oil for frying

4 good sized carrots, sliced in one inch slices (once considered an aphrodisiac because of the shape)

1 good sized onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced or crushed

¼ cup almonds

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 teaspoons Damiana

1 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup milk or ½ cup sour cream, or ½ cup heavy cream, if desired.

Fry the onions, garlic, and almonds in a soup pot for three to four minutes, until the onions are softened.  Toss in the carrots and fry a few minutes more.  Add the stock, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the carrots are done.  Add the spices and herbs and toss in a blender to puree.  Stir in the milk or sour cream, if desired, and serve.

For extra romance, add a few drops of cream to the top of the bowl of soup being served and run a knife through the middle of the drops to create a heart where each drop of cream fell.

Buy Damiana

Famous for making goats horny, this little beauty works on many people too.  Studies show it works in 60% of men with erectile dysfunction.  Why only 60%…they need to have to right imbalance to work - in this case, coldness.  Does it work in women?  Anecdotal evidence says yes, but probably at the same rate as for men. This is often thought of as a yang herb, bringing more fire and energy to the bedroom.  Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium grandiflorum) warms the body, opening blood vessels from the largest to the small capillaries of the body.  It helps bring blood into the brain as well as the…”little brain”, and the hands and feet.  It calms physical tension and helps bring excess fluids out of the body.  People who are a little damp, inclined to sweat first in a warm room, are going to be the most helped by this herb.  It may also improve sperm production and delay premature ejaculation.  So, sex drive increases, arousal becomes easier and staying power increases with this herb, as long as it is addressing the right imbalances in the body.  Steeped in brandy or vodka, this is nice early evening beverage and an ingredient in a traditional “Spring Wine” developed by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in Asia. Taking inspiration from this idea, I have developed an easy infused wine that is easy to try at home:

Horny Goat Weed Wine

½ Cup Horny Goat Weed

            1 bottle Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, or other sweet, light wine

Open wine and pour off ½ cup.  Put the Horny Goat Weed into the wine bottle.  Re-cork, or vacuum seal wine.  Shake once a day for 14 days.  Let the Horny Goat Weed settle to the bottom of the bottle and pour off the wine from the top to drink, or strain, then enjoy.

Get Horny Goat Weed now...



Muira Puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides), a man’s drink in traditional terms, comes from South America.  Used for dampness as well as arousal, this is another herb about excess fluids, like Horny Goat Weed.  It is also not as heating as the herbs mentioned above and can be more useful for those who are already turn up the air conditioner first in the summer.  Muira puama also increases the appetite, so this is a good herb to use early in an evening just for people in love…or at least in lust.  It will increase hunger and digestion, so if using this herb, plan on a light meal after or while this herb is being used.  Why not a heavy meal?  Heavy meals make people tired and reduce the odds of a successful romantic night.  This herb has the advantage of being useful not only as a drink, but in the bath as well.  One alternative would be to have a little champagne and a light meal in a hot tub filled with warm water and a handful or two of muira puama in a thin cloth bag hung over the bathtub faucet so the hot water filling the tub can run through the herbs.  Here's a romantic bath recipe to try:

Romantic Muira Puama Bath

1 – 2 oz. Muira Puma

1 ounce Red Rose Buds

1 - 5 drops Ylang Ylang III essential oil

Combine herbs and Ylang Ylang essential oil.  If possible, let the herbs and Ylang Ylang essential oil sit together for a day to allow the scents to blend.  Put blend into a muslin bag and hang over water faucet as the tub fills, letting the warm water run over and through the bag as the tub fills.  Hop in and for an extra boost, squeeze herbs or use the bag as a scrub, rubbing it all over the body.

Shop for Muira Puama

There are plenty of good books on herbs and how they can effect the body.  Where can you find the wonderful books, herbs, and the essential oil? www.MagusBooks.com!

Who can't take these herbs?  Damiana may effect blood sugar levels and should be avoided by diabetics unless they are under the supervision of an expert qualified in the uses of this herb. Avoid for a couple of weeks before any surgery too.  With horny goat weed, it is more about the potential for lowering blood pressure and slowing blood clotting that matter, so avoid this one if taking a medication that alters blood pressure or lows blood clotting - and don't take any for a few weeks before any surgery.