covenrochester

The Table, Before We Began

We held an herbal medicine workday today from 12 to 4, and it was a great success in productivity, with the participants learning a great deal about remedies made in the wisdom tradition. We managed to make 10 different herbal products.

-- Elderberry Tincture: This will be ready well in time for the winter cold and flu season! One of the Great Medicines of humanity.

-- Calendula Tincture: Antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral in effects, it has so many uses. Another of the Great Medicines.

-- Motherwort Tincture: Against menstrual and menopausal discomforts, against anxiety and pain, and helps promote sleep. Also a tonic for the heart when used daily. A third of the Great Medicines. We used fresh plant material, as I had sufficient in my garden. It is the blooming tops that contain the medicine.

-- Blackberry Throat Spray: Against sore throat. The recipe may be varied, but it should always contain tincture made from Echinacea angustifola (not purpurea), which has a numbing effect on mucosal tissues. Other ingredients included home made blackberry brandy, raw and organic honey, and Yarrow Tincture.

-- Healing Mouthwash: We made three variations. In an earlier posting, I gave the recipe for the one I use.

-- Toothpaste: A Sage-Myrrh toothpaste flavored with Mint. Also included Calendula and Yarrow Tinctures for broad spectrum coverage against bacteria in the mouth.

-- Plantain Liniment: There was sufficient Plantago major in the yard that we were able to use fresh! Another of the Great Medicines.

-- Cramp Bark Tincture: For stopping cramps and muscle seizures anywhere in the body. Good against menstrual pain and female pelvic congestion. Viburnum opulus by name, you may know it as the Snowball Bush. Alas, you must be taught when to harvest the bark in order to secure the medicinal virtues.

-- Hypericum Lotion: May be used as a sun screen. Against nerve pain and muscle pain. It will stop the development of Shingles if applied to the affected body part when you sense it potentially coming on. Another of the Great Medicines.

-- Comfrey Lotion: Another of the Great Medicines. I had sufficient in my garden to bring fresh. For repairing the skin, joints, and ligaments.

As you can see, we seemed to focus a lot on the Great Medicines. That was not purposeful. It is simply that the Great Medicines are so effective and have such varied uses, that they naturally find a place in witches' apothecary cabinets.

I also reported on recently making a Thyme Lotion from Thyme in my garden. It has been found effective against yeast and fungal patches on the skin.

I've had so many good ideas for the next workday, it is difficult to choose the next topic!

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester