Seven Herbal Remedies to Save Your Summer

#1: Aloe veraThe natural sap from a cut aloe vera leaf eases a whole host of ailments: bug bites, poison ivy, sunburn (and any type of mild to moderate burn), skin irritation, and prickly heat. It also speeds healing of scrapes and cuts. Keep a plant or two on hand for your entire summer. Hardy in Zones 9 through 11, aloe vera is easy to grow in a pot; to avoid root rot, allow the soil to dry out between waterings. To use, harvest a leaf by cutting it close to the center of the plant, slice it in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape the jellylike interior away from the skin.

#2: Plantain (Plantago spp.)

Having nothing to do with the banana-like fruits of the same name, this plantain is a common and ubiquitous weed. Its leaves contain natural astringent, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, and wound-healing compounds, and they're also brewed as teas for coughs and bronchitis. The plant's seeds are the source of the fiber laxative Metamucil. Chances are you've been walking on plantain all your life and barely noticed it. Look for it along the edge of paved areas or in lawns.

To sooth insect bites or stings, sunburn (or any type of mild to moderate burn), skin irritation, minor cuts, infections, or boils, prepare an herbal paste (also called a poultice): Pick a handful of fresh leaves, rinse off, and mash/grind them with a mortar and pestle or blender, and add a little water to make a thick paste. Apply the paste, and leave it there for at least 10 to 15 minutes (you can cover it with a clean cloth to help keep the paste in place and reduce the chances of staining clothing).
For quick, in-the-field relief, chew up a few leaves (its taste is not unpleasant) and pop the result onto the affected area.

Pastes are usually applied fresh, but can be frozen for convenient later use: drop spoonfuls onto natural waxed paper or a silicone sheet, freeze, and store in an airtight container; when needed, thaw and use immediately.

#3: Chickweed (Stellaria spp.)

This tender, light-green weed is often found in low-growing mats in gardens and fields, even in the winter or very early spring before much else is growing. A paste made from the leaves and stems (see directions for plantain leaves), will help soothe skin irritations, bites, and stings. It is also useful in salads, tasting much like spinach (not bitter like many wild greens), and can be made into pesto or chopped into cooked dishes.

#4: Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
Peppermint is a hardy and easy-to-grow perennial that will tolerate most conditions, but prefers moist soil (where it can get downright invasive). Drinking peppermint tea can fight or prevent headaches, indigestion, bloating, and gas. Cold tea applied to the skin soothes itchy, irritated skin, as does an herbal paste (poultice; see plantain entry for directions) made by grinding or chewing fresh leaves. To make mint tea, cover 2 teaspoons of minced fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried leaves with 1 cup of boiling water, allow to steep for 10 minutes, strain, and enjoy. Tea can be also be frozen into ice cubes to rub on your skin for instant relief (they are tasty in iced tea, too, so make lots!) or stored in a spray bottle in the fridge and used to cool and freshen your hot face or any areas of irritated skin.

#5: Jewelweed a.k.a. "touch-me-not" (Impatiens capensis)
If you suffer from poison ivy/oak/sumac or have stinging nettles growing nearby, you need to know jewelweed! It is a fleshy-stemmed annual weed that grows up to five feet tall, and has blue-green leaves with small horn-of-plenty-shaped yellow or orange flowers. Later in the fall, those flowers are followed by plump seedpods that pop violently, throwing their seed contents many feet. A common wild plant throughout North America, look for it in moist areas, along creek banks, for instance, or in partial shade. For your herbal first-aid kit, you'll want to use the stems, which are fleshy and can be used like aloe leaves for the same skin woes. Use it fresh by slicing the stem open and smearing the jelly-like juice where it is needed. If you happen to touch poison ivy and can't get inside to wash off the rash-causing oils, look for some jewelweed right away and rub the juice over the exposed area to prevent a rash. It is also a fast way to put out the fire of a close encounter with stinging nettle.

To store the goodness for later use, you can make jewelweed tea and then freeze or refrigerate it. Cut the entire plant into 1-inch chunks, cover with water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow it to steep for 20 minutes before straining. Store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze in cubes for longer storage.

#6: Oats or cornstarch
When prickly heat, sunburn, multiple bug bites, or poison ivy/oak/sumac rash strikes—and you can't alleviate it with any of the previous plants—a soothing herbal bath is the best recourse. Add 1 cup of organic oatmeal, whirred in a blender until it has a flour-like texture (don't put loose whole oatmeal into the water or you will be calling the plumber later), or 1 cup of organic cornstarch, to a tub of warm water. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes, frequently pouring bathwater over parts of you that aren't under water. It will soothe irritation and help unplug pores. Repeat as necessary.

#7: Ginger
If motion sickness threatens to put a damper on your vacation, a tea made from fresh minced ginger root (a 1-inch chunk for 2 cups of water) or dried powdered ginger (1 teaspoon) simmered in water for 15 to 20 minutes will often help prevent or sooth the upset. The tea is good hot or cold and can be sweetened with honey or stevia, if desired. Chewing a small bit of candied ginger is a more portable remedy that will yield the same relief. Ginger beer or natural ginger ale that contain real ginger are also options, but note that most commercial versions don't.'

Complete Article: Jean Nick (Rodale.com)
www.organicgardening.com
 

Magus Books Welcomes Elliott Jackson This September

September 26-28, 2014

Elliott Jackson--author and President/Founder of Quantum Matrix Inc., a holistic based program that assists others in achieving optimum spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health--will be at Magus Books this September.

His appearance at Magus will include a Group Channeling Workshop and Book Signing and two days of private sessions. Appointments can be booked through Magus Books. You may register for the workshop and private sessions, as well as purchase Quantum Matrix meditation CDs and Inspirational pictures at Magus Books.

September 26, 6:00-8:00pm
Group Channeling Workshop - $25
Book Signing to Follow

September 27, 10:00am-6:00pm
Private Sessions with Source - $125/hour, $65/30 minutes

September 28, 12:00-6:00pm
Private Sessions with Source - $125/hour, $65/30 minutes


In addition to his work with Quantum Matrix, Inc., Jackson also writes a monthly article for the magazine, "The Sedona Journal of Emergence" which is considered by many as the premier magazine in New Age publications and the online magazine Eden.

Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana where he spent his childhood. After attending Clark University in Atlanta, Georgia, he studied in Oxford, England while serving in the United States Air Force. He also attended Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Jackson, a therapist and addiction counselor, is also a member of the International Society of Poets and featured in the International Who’s Who of poetry.  His work can be found in a variety of poetry compilations in the United States and abroad. Jackson is known for his work in addictions, guided meditations and anger management. He has devoted his life to helping others obtain spiritual transformation.

The Mystery of Dinkytown's Magus Books and Herbs

Originally published by The Minnesota Daily, June 13, 2013, author Callie Sacarelos.


On a busy summer afternoon in Dinkytown, people rush past the small purple storefront tucked between a post office and a head shop, oblivious to the magic within.

Magus Books and Herbs will be celebrating its 20-year anniversary this September. Joseph Amara, executive vice president of Magus, said the store is popular with a unique crowd whose loyalty has kept the store running for two decades.

“Specifically, we are for explorers of consciousness and connection to the universe,” he said. Amara and another employee will also take over ownership of the store on its 20th anniversary. Despite its proximity to the University of Minnesota campus, many students have never heard of the store.

“I’ve never been there. I walk by it all the time, but that’s about it,” said Emily Hoyt, University art senior.

The store offers books, herbs and ceremonial tools often not found in major retail stores, Amara said.
Aside from the hand-carved wands, voodoo puppets and cast-iron cauldrons displayed throughout the store, perhaps Magus’ most memorable asset is its employees.

“Magus is a weird conglomeration of people doing different things,” said Andrew Lane, a part-time employee.

Diversity

Lesley Rushton discovered Magus several years ago as a student on campus and recently visited the store with her sister-in-law to buy incense and sage smudge sticks, which are thought to clear unwanted energy from a room. She said she visits the store because the staff doesn’t push a particular religion or belief on the customers. A few years ago she was intrigued when she saw crosses and Bibles in the store alongside the incense. "When you think about the outside and you hear about Magus … you think, ‘Maybe it’s all Wiccan stuff.’ But you come inside, and it’s a whole bunch of stuff,” she said.
Amara said the store embraces every religion, from “Christianity to Zoroastrianism. Anything that helps somebody discover what brings meaning into their lives and deepen it,” he said.
Tammy Helms, a tarot reader at Magus and one of its few full-time employees, said Magus is a place that needs to be experienced in order to be fully understood. “You can’t describe Magus,” she said.
 
The Wall of Herbs

The store’s most reputable section is what staff members admiringly refer to as “The Wall,” a collection of more than 600 herbs stored in glass jars on shelves spanning one side of the shop. Helms said the large majority of her tarot clients also come in to buy herbs. “It’s kind of surprising. You would think that these little girlies that come down would be checking out the jewelry, but they don’t. They come right to the wall,” she said.
Master herbalist Liz Johnson dabbled in herbalism while attending college, but decided to pursue it seriously after watching her friend’s heart attack misdiagnosis result in major bypass surgery. “I watched this person screaming in agony while they dealt with their health issue and thought, ‘Surgery is wonderful. Penicillin is great. There has to be another option’,” she said. When Johnson arrived at Magus, the store already offered about 150 herbs. She used her knowledge and training to expand the ayurvedic and Chinese lines, while creating an extensive Western herb collection. Vanilla bean and coriander are sold alongside herbs like cat’s claw bark and horny goat weed. For students interested in trying a few lesser known herbs, Johnson recommends starting with what Western herbalism classifies as adaptogens. "Adaptogens are herbs that are thought to help your body deal with stressors, whether that’s the stress of breaking up with somebody [or] the stress of studying for a big exam,” she said.
 
Tarot Readers

Tarot reading is a part of everyday life at Magus. Like the knowledge offered in the books lining the shelves, tarot is meant to be used as a tool to understand life and explore one’s options. Helms and Annie Zimbel, the tarot readers, have their own reading style and card interpretation. “When I do my readings, I put out to the universe that I want the kind of clients that really want to help themselves. I don’t like them when they come back every single week,” Zimbel said. “I give them enough information that they can start clearing things up.” Helms, on the other hand, reads into the smaller details of people’s lives. Kathryn Knutsen, a mother of two, has been coming to Magus for a year to have her cards read. Sometimes she stops in alone, other times she brings her boyfriend for a relationship reading. "We just came back here two weeks ago and got another reading, and that was even more interesting,” she said. “It was like dead on. It was pretty crazy.”
 
A History of Magus

The founder of Magus, Roger Williamson, grew up in Coventry, England, where his mother raised him with a background in basic ceremonial magic, astral projection and spirit evocation. He moved to London as a young man before winding up in the U.S. Before opening Magus in 1992, Williamson worked in a corporate office but felt unhappy there, he said. He started a used occult book catalog service out of his basement, selling books from his personal library he brought from England at night.He always had an affection for Dinkytown because of its “bohemian” feel, he said. One day he saw a rental sign in a Dinkydale Mall window, and soon after the store opened in a small space in the back corner of the mall. “You could probably put your arms out and touch all the walls,” Williamson said. “I had about 10 packs of incense, three tarot decks and several boxes of used books, and that was just how I started it.” Amara, who joined the business within the first few months, said, “You couldn’t do that quite like today. … I think the world was a kinder, gentler place back in ’92. I think it was easier to start a small business.” Williamson was able to expand the store a few times within the mall as business picked up, and the store amassed a loyal customer following before it eventually wound up in its current location across the street. Although running a small business is tough, Williamson said he has enjoyed the ride. "I mean, you sit around, you buy pretty much everything you really enjoy. You’re burning incense and playing music all day. It’s not a bad way to earn a living …,” he said. At noon on Sept. 1, Williamson will retire, and Amara and Johnson will take over the company.

The Magus Mission

No matter what people come to Magus for, Williamson said he hopes they leave feeling empowered to take command of their destiny. “Reincarnation might be true, past lives might be true,” he said. “Or maybe this is the only time that you get to interact with this universe. So what are you going to do with it? Are you going to be worried about where you might have been and where you might be going? Or are you going to enjoy the journey?  “Not that I have an opinion, of course,” Williamson said with a smile.

Tarot Elements....Air

The swords suit represents the element of air, and our mind.

The mind is a powerful thing, as are the thoughts that reside in it.  Ideas can start wars, they can change the foundation of who we are, they can affect everything that surrounding us. New ideas threaten old ones, and can cause a lot of conflict. We have to weigh them out to determine if that is worth our while. Then there are times when we are so sure of an idea until it shifts from the mind into reality, when the reality of the idea transforms it can be more than we can handle. Which starts the cycle of thoughts all over again. Can we really handle what we think we can handle?

On the other side of the spectrum is when a thought feels much heavier, and dramatic than it really is, our paranoia can run wild and create so much unneeded anxiety. Maturity helps us to control the thoughts and ideas that run through our minds, helps us to choose which words to speak into existence. We learn to be more strategic when we build our mental strength, choose when, and how to place our words. When its necessary to be sharp and to the point, like a sword. Ignoring that maturity can result in that sword being double edged and inflict pain onto ourselves. The suit of swords takes us through this mental journey, starting with the Ace and its threat to throw out the way things have always been. Ending with the King who is a master of his mind, and plans his moves.

ARIEL HANSON