Category Archives: Herbology

Trees, Ogham and Mirrors

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Following Delight, Herbology, Magic

≈ 1 Comment

I’ve been learning about trees this past month.

Ogham Altar

The first five trees begin with Birch…

The fantastic Ms. Raven of Greenwoman Crafts periodically offers online classes in one of her specialities – Ogham. I’ve had an Ogham set for over a decade and have started teaching myself about the trees commonly considered to be signified by the sticks every few years but starting with Hawthorn has meant I’ve never gotten past the next tree. Thinking about it now, perhaps I struggled to move past the stillness of the Oak without external motivation or perhaps I find overcoming Holly’s defences tricky…

Let me explain; for some reason when I’ve approached Ogham before I’ve begun with Hawthorn, after Hawthorn comes Oak, then Holly. Apparently I should have started with Birch! This time, under Raven’s guidance, I began with Birch and have continued on… through Rowan, Alder, Willow, Ash and on past Hawthorn and Oak.

Noticing this tells me something about myself… I’ve been thinking that I’ll learn about the trees this way but, of course, the world around us mirrors our selves. In learning about the trees I’m learning about myself. I’m reminded that I don’t like to move into stillness (Oak) because I’m unsure how to handle it, though I’ve gotten better and I was able to properly engage with Oak this time because I’ve begun to cultivate stillness internally by working with the other trees first. I’m also reminded that I avoid discomfort (Holly) and that this means I’ll miss some of the benefits hidden in difficult places! But I also know that I will face it eventually.

It intrigues me how clearly that which is absent can teach us as much about ourselves as that which we encounter and that the world around us is such a direct mirror of our internal processes. The world we live in is made of our relationships to the beings around us and can therefore do nothing but reflect to us ourselves.

I am grateful to the trees for mirroring my self back to me and I look forward to continuing to learn from them!

Photo of Birch on Campus

Thank you Birch, opener of the way!

 

Herbology – Holly

09 Friday Jul 2010

Posted by in Herbology

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

A flash of colour in the grey,

A splash of light to lead the way

Spines to hold the gash of light

Berries brighten up the night…

A Tree in Your Pocket* tells me that Holly was loved for its ability to bring cheer to winter nights, and that is why it decorates our homes at midwinter. That and it protects us, Human and Fey alike, raising spirits and soothing sadness with its cheerful optimism.

Holly-spines are sharp, a deterrent to any that try to steal its pure-white wood… a deterrent to those who would cross the boundaries holly watches over.

Approach Holly with respect, it stands as a guardian of joy, and as a joy-bringer itself.

Holly, the Holly King, the ruler-twin of the dark half of the year. As such, Holly holds the light in the dark, light to warm our hearts in the long nights.

It seems an odd time to draw this tree from my ogham sticks, when the sun is at its height, and yet it speaks clearly to me right now. Firstly, there is always hope. I have left my chosen home and found myself without a clear path ahead. The everlight of the holly will hold my heart safe as I am buffeted through this summer. Secondly, I’ve been worrying over my art, hoping it will give me a way to earn a living, make me less dependent (in some respects) on location for financial security. Holly suggests that perhaps I should focus on shining, and worry about what the world reflects back when it does…

*Jaqueline Memory Paterson, A Tree in Your Pocket (Thorsons, 1998)

Herbology – Sage

18 Tuesday May 2010

Posted by in Herbology

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

With a name that means wise-one, and a history of purification, sage seems a good place to start my herbology endeavour.

Salvia officinalis – a grey-ish, wooly-branched shrub.

Traditionally used in Native American Indian smudging ceremonies, so the smell of it burning reminds me of the moment before the magic begins. Therefore, as incense: focussing, purifying, cleanses the space, opens the senses, dedicates the moment.

James Wong’s Grow Your Own Drugs tells me that its good for dealing with coughs, colds and congestion, and hot flushes. My book on Herbal Teas reveals that this last is because sage contains oestrogenic substances.

Herbal Teas also says it is good as a general tonic, is antiseptic, and a general nourishing stimulant.

The booklet accompanying a deck of cards called The Flower Speaks describes sage as a white lion, a teacher, and a cleanser.

I acquired a packet of sage, its scent is familiar from drying bunches years ago and I remember that it is a regular ingrediant in stuffing at Christmas. I pour a small pile into my palm and pour blessing energy into it before placing it into an incense burner. This week I have singed it most days to purify and bless the space and day I am living in.

I made it into tea, and it certainly has wake-up properties, though I’ve found the taste has swiftly become unpalatable (I tend to grow sick of something if I ingest it too often over a short period) so I’m revising my original idea of a cup of herbal tea each day.

Magically it seems well suited, then, to cleansing and stimulating… adding a boost to a spell… or preparing the space/ground for work. Clearing the way.

It has been easy to involve the dried herb in my day, through tea, devotional burning and adding it to cooking. Later I would like to find a live sage plant and engage with it directly!

Herbology

17 Monday May 2010

Posted by in Herbology

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

The image of the witch stirring her bubbling cauldron resonates through the ages.

When I first began on the pagan path I gathered bundles of herbs and hung them round my room to dry. I collected jars which filled with deliciously scented green leaves and brightly coloured petals. I occasionally took these jars out, inhaled the contents and then placed them back in their basket.

Once or twice I made up a flying incense, which, strangely, I never thought to burn but instead would breathe in the scent of woodland before meditative journeys. It worked. I wish I could remember the recipe, but I believe the main ingrediants were pine-needles and optimism.

I relocated to Wales, five years ago now, and last summer I threw out the jars of old, dusty herbs that had resided in my Mother’s attic for the time I had been away thus far.

And then, this spring, I began to feel the urge, again, to understand plants. Having passed the initiatory challenge of keeping a houseplant alive for a year this Imbolc, two miniature rose plants no less, I began to feel hopeful that perhaps my history of killing spider plants would no longer count against me. I bought live herbs from the supermarket, the basil thrived for a while, but eventually joined the other two in brown, shrivelled death.*

And still I have the nagging feeling that I really should be learning about plants, learning from plants, learning to use plants. And graduating from ready-mixed dried herbs and black pepper in the kitchen would not be unwelcome either!

Perhaps something to do with the Fey-Queen’s prescence in my life, or perhaps because Idunna finally revealed herself to be one member of my childhood ‘invented’ pantheon (You only had to ask, she reminds me gently, I’d have told you sooner if you’d asked.) Perhaps its the green of Wales finally sinking into my bones, or the garden planted in my heart by elemental guardians. Whichever perhaps, I’ve begun to explore.

The Herbology category will track my posts as I collect information, both book-based and experiential, slowly about the plants I encounter. As a devotional act I am exploring this world of green green things. In gratitude for the information I’ve found online – and to keep myself  both active and accountable – I intend to post my findings here.

Enjoy.

*I also have packets of seeds waiting for when I settle somewhere a little more permanent than 3 months… I will grow a garden one day soon.

On Growing Roses and Losing Spider Plants

23 Tuesday Feb 2010

Posted by in Following Delight, Herbology

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

For a long time I thought I could never keep plants. I kept spider plants, renowned for being impossible to kill, and they all died. I bought hardy plants specifically for the conditions in my bedroom, and still they died.

I gave up.

And then the dreams began. For the past few years I have been daydreaming of growing a beautiful garden. A place where the flowers smell gorgeous and transform themselves into fruit when the autumn comes. A place where the greenery is lush and deep and soothing to the spirit. A place to rest and work and play, for visitors, friends, and my family.

And I despaired! How could I ever grow this magnificent place of wonder if I couldn’t even keep a spider plant alive!

Last February, at Imbolc, when snow covered the ground, a friend gave me a bright bunch of daffodils. The flowers were like sunshine in the cold, cheering, comforting, and inspiring. I loved it and toyed with the idea of always keeping cut flowers on my windowsill.

And again, the plants in my care died. But this time they were cut flowers, so I was expecting it. And this time I decided to try again, but, flowers are so much nicer, I thought, when they are alive and growing and not about to die a week later. I chose life, I chose flowers that would keep blooming, that would stay alive, that would not have been hacked from the ground…

I went to the florists and found two blooming roses, one red and one yellow.

And they came home with me, as I danced through the snow, determined to look after these small pieces of life and light and hope for the summer.

They almost died within days. And I did not give up.

By some miracle (known as knowledgeable friends) I was guided in repotting them and I instigated a solid routine of care appropriate to roses.

Over a year later, my roses are still blossoming with hopes of summer and memories of warmth. They have grown to three times the size and are healthier than I ever expected them to be.

My dream of a wondrous garden seems that much closer now and I am collecting seeds to make a window box of herbs and flowers this spring. It seems that, with a little bit of determination, even I can grow a rose garden!!!

There are many things I thought I could never do because I have not managed it so far… and yet, every time I see my roses I am reminded that just because I failed at something once, it doesn’t mean I can’t do it, just that I didn’t do it then.  In the past I have given up on things when I couldn’t do them first time round, when they didn’t come easily. Now I’ve learnt that often, I need to learn at least a little more than what can be picked up in the first few minutes before I can do something properly, and I have also learnt that this is ok. Oh, and, that I can keep beautiful plants!