Slippery Elm Bark has even been approved by the FDA as a remedy for the irritation of sore throats and other sighs of an impending cold, including coughs. This herbal can also help with stomach upset and help with heartburn. A powdered version of the bark can easily be obtained at any health food store or upscale greengrocer, which can be made into a tea; use one to two teaspoons of the powdered bark, and you can drink it twice a day.
We know sage is great for as a smudge or incense for clearing spaces as well as a savory for soups, roasts, dressing, stews, and much more, but it is also a highly regarded treatment at European spas for sweating, menopause, hot flashes, night sweats and accompanying discomfort. It is also an excellent remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. Simply make sage tea with one teaspoon of the dried leaves which you can drink or gargle to amend a sore throat.
*Pregnant women should not use this.
Nettle has been used as a healer for untold centuries; it relieves allergies, it is an immune booster, and it can even help with a distended prostate. It is also a superfood and beloved for its nutrients. If you are working with fresh nettles, wear gloves to avoid the stinging. Cooking or drying removes any irritant. Any herb or health food store will have dried nettle both in bulk and capsule form. Make nettle tea by steeping two teaspoons of leaves for ten minutes covered or “take the capsules in recommended doses of 300 to 500 mg twice a day.
Here is an herbalist’s favorite for healing any respiratory ailment involving congestion, coughs, sore throats, and supporting lung function and clear breathing. Take one heaping tablespoon of the leaves and steep in one cup of boiling water covered for no more than ten minutes. Once you take mullein as a tea, you’ll feel better soon. Mullein flowers infused in oil are also used to aid earaches.
Healers love milk thistle for its ability to protect the liver from toxins, harsh medicines, alcohol, and unseen environmental pollutants. It can be obtained as either an extract or in standardized capsules at any health food store or upscale grocery or pharmacy. There is some evidence it can also help heal the kidneys. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, find a source of organic milk thistle seed, then thoroughly clean out a coffee grinder as the seeds must be broken open in order to be bioavailable via digestion. The milk thistle seeds need not be ground to powder; instead, grind them small enough that when sprinkled on a soup, stew, or salad it isn’t too chewy—their taste is pleasant. A tablespoon or two a day can be a real lifesaver!
While it may seem like this is another “candy as medicine,” marshmallow is a time-tested plant long employed in field medicine rather than a sugary pillow. It is highly valued as it contains a lot of mucilage, the same substance which coats our mouth and throat as well as the stomach and gut. Minced fresh, dried root, or the leaves are equally healing in quarter cup quantities; an infusion of the leaves may be drunk after it has steeped for four hours covered. Strain out the stems and drink hot, cool, sweetened, or however you like this gentle herb. If you choose marshmallow root, simmer low covered for twenty minutes, then let cool; the brew may be taken at any temperature you prefer.
This revered candy classic is also a wonderful anti-inflammatory which relieves the discomfort of colds in the sinuses. It can soothe sore throats and coughs and is a curative for gastrointestinal issues. Treat licorice root exactly as you would ginger with one minced teaspoon of fresh or dried simmered low covered in one cup of water twice a day to make a naturally sweet tea. Also, you can add licorice root to other herbal teas as it will sweeten them, besides adding its medicinal virtues, which tend to combine well with those of many other basic remedies.
This root is also said to be highly effective as a muscle relaxer and for reducing anxiety. Kava can be handled the same as ginger, with one tablespoon of minced root or dried root simmered low and taken as tea. I recommend seeing how it affects you before you raise the dose to two or three cups of tea per day, which is recommended. If you take it as a supplement, when considering taking more than 250 mg. per day (a fraction of the weight of a US penny) or for longer than a week, make sure you are under the care of a qualified health professional. As with many, many powerful remedies, if you take it all the time without breaks, it won’t work anymore right when you need it most.
As we all know, hops are used for beer-making and excel as a tincture used as a sleeping aid and stress-reliever. Women healers also claim it is very useful to calm hot flashes in menopause. The ideal dosage is forty drops before sleep. It is said it can help anxiety. Lower your dose if you wake up extra sleepy in the morning after using hops.
Beloved for the heavenly sweet perfume of its flowers, hibiscus is also a powerful diuretic and can lower blood pressure. As if that is not enough, it can also help sore throats and colds. Similarly to other herbal applications, steeping a tablespoon of the dried flowers in a cup of freshly boiled water for ten minutes and drinking this infusion twice a day is the desired treatment.
Many people rely upon ginseng to relieve and avert mental and physical fatigue. This herb has been shown to reduce the occurrence and acuteness of colds. Some even claim it can help with issues of male virility. It can help to light the fire of vitality within your body; for this reason, if you have spells of feeling too warm, limit your intake of ginseng. Either dried or fresh will do, three times a day simmered in a cup of freshly boiled water for eight to ten minutes. (Note that Siberian “ginseng” is a different plant entirely and is in fact a distinct species from another plant family, Eleutherococcus senticocus; it is also useful as a nutritive and grounding adaptogen, but should not be confused with Asian or American ginseng!)
From tummy troubles to colds and flus, ginger is beloved for its curative powers. Any greengrocer or herbal apothecary will have plenty or ginger root in stock, and you should always have some around. When anyone in your family feels nauseous or senses a cold or fever coming, slice and mince a tablespoon of the root into two cups of hot water and simmer it low covered for tea. Sweeten to taste and drink twice a day for a surprisingly swift end to your suffering. It also makes a wonderful spicy iced tea when cooled, though for a respiratory or tummy bug, drink it comfortably warm.
We have all heard that the Chinese praise garlic for health benefits. It is a powerful antimicrobial, often employed to combat colds, ease sinus congestion, and stave off digestive problems that accompany traveling. It has even been shown that regular use can help gently lower blood pressure. One to two fresh cloves daily are the dose.
This time-tested medicinal has long been used for guarding against colds and flu. Elderberry flowers have been valued as a tonic for fever for centuries; such fruit extracts have been proven to be noteworthy antivirals, especially to support immunity. Two teaspoons of dried flowers and a cup of boiling water three times a day does the trick. Sweeten with local honey to taste. Or consider cultivating elderberry and making a syrup.
Every herb store or organic grocer will have dried echinacea root for fighting colds and negating respiratory infections. Just mince by the teaspoon and simmer low covered in two cups of boiling water. Sweeten to taste and drink at least a couple of cups a day, echinacea also makes an excellent tincture you can make by following the how-tos herein. It is an amazing immune booster, too!
How many times did your mom tell you to drink your (usually unsweetened) cranberry juice? Turns out she was right on both counts as straight cranberry juice is very good for bladder health and benefits men’s prostates; two half cups a day, mom’s orders!
Dry a palmful of catnip leaves and allow them to steep in a cup of boiling water for five minutes, then strain as you would any loose tea. Honey helps even more, and a cup or two of catnip tea per day will have you in fine fettle, relaxed, and ready. This herb is not just for kitties! We humans can also benefit from it as a remedy for upset tummies as well as a way to diminish worry, anxiety, and nervous tension.
Boil one cup of water and pour over two teaspoons of calendula petals. Steep this for eight to ten minutes and strain. Once it has cooled enough, you can drink it as a tea, use it as a mouthwash, or gargle with it to reduce any swelling of the mouth or throat. If you make an ointment with calendula, apply it to your skin three times during the day and it will calm irritation.
This commonly used herbal aid is popular for relief of gastrointestinal issues including oral and throat inflammation. It can also be made into a salve to heal the skin and soothe rashes, itching, irritation, and wounds. Remember that any herb can be made into a salve following the Calming Balm: Bay Leaf recipe. Your family will probably request the comfort of the calendula salve often, so keep it handy.
Make a tincture or use the flower essence method and take twenty to forty drops three times a day to relieve menstrual cramps and arthritic pain. Black cohosh can also help perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms.
Gently simmer one tablespoon of dried and minced ashwagandha root in one cup of water for eight to ten minutes. Strain and sip once or twice a day as a rejuvenating pick-me-up, anti-inflammatory, anxiety reducer, and immunity tonic.
On woodland walks, my Aunt Edie pointed out nettles, wild mint, Queen Anne’s Lace, and other herbs which grew by creek beds near my home. We picked, steeped, and sipped concoctions we made together as she imparted her homely wisdom. Little did I know at the time I was being gently schooled as an apprentice kitchen witch. Lately, I have been called upon to craft spells for peace of mind; so many of us are overwhelmed due to the fragmented lifestyles requiring long hours at work, zillions of emails, texts, tweets, and all the demands that don’t stop coming.
How often do you see a panicky pagan or stressed out herbalist? Rarely, I assure you.
We all have to keep pace with the modern world, but our connection to the earth and the cycles of nature help maintain balance and harmony, despite the hurly-burly of these tech-driven times. This chapter is aimed at conjuring wellness so you can stay centered, grounded, and healthy. When our grandmothers and elders who came before us tended cuts, bruises, colds, flus, fevers, and other illnesses their family suffered, they didn’t have a corner drugstore. Instead, these wise women relied on simple wisdom, common sense, and pantries well-stocked with herbal remedies. These preparations were made from plants that grew in the kitchen garden or wild weeds gathered in the fields and woods surrounding their homes. This stash of kitchen cupboard cures combines the wisdom of our elders with a modern sensibility. Yes, you will save money, but more importantly, you will begin to learn what works for you and master the art of self-care as you bring much comfort to your loved ones.
As such, moldavite is widely believed to be one of the stones that will help humans evolve. I have heard miraculous stories about moldavite that, quite frankly, I didn’t believe until my friend Bill Cocke loaned me the book Moldavite: Starborn Stone of Transformation, by a couple, Robert Simmons and Kathy Warner. Upon reading this book, I grew so curious; I felt I had to get some moldavite. Kathy Warner wrote of her immediate spiritual connection and growth from the stone, and how it helped her to trust the universe enough to open a crystal shop, Heaven and Earth, in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with no money, no plan, a few rocks, and a lot of faith. I was also struck by the episodes in which the authors told of customers that came in, browsed around their shop, and often had incredible encounters with the bottle-green tektite. Kathy even named the physical reaction to moldavite flush. People sweated, turned red, and either laughed or cried. But what really made me curious was Robert’s story of how he had had no reaction at all to the moldavite for many months and then, after patient meditation, he had a magnificent spiritual awakening. Robert’s story appealed to the skeptic in me. What if I got some moldavite and it had no effect on me? Well, just in case, I could take comfort in Robert’s long-delayed epiphany.
So, the same friend who alerted me to the moldavite went to the Psychic Eye in San Francisco, got a lovely green silver, and brought it back to me while I was at work on this very book. I took it out of the bag and touched it, noticing how it felt rather like a piece of textured plastic. Bill looked at me with that charming grin of his and a twinkle in his eye and told me that he had gotten some moldavite for several of our friends. He seemed excited. Bill was a moldavite initiate, and just having it around had already made him happier. For himself, he had gotten a moldavite pendant, and he showed me how he could also wear it as a headband. I noticed that the moldavite rested on the exact spot of Bill’s third eye. I didn’t really feel anything except that it did rapidly pick up the heat from my hand, and seemed to hold it. Anyway, I felt rather disappointed that I didn’t have a reaction like those I had read about in the book Moldavite. I was, after all, hoping to feel exhilarated and ecstatic. Who wouldn’t?
The next day, I was to go to my own birthday party at a place in San Francisco’s Chinatown called Li Po, named for the great drunken Chinese poet. Apart from being a bit grimy, the bar is a re-creation of a Buddhist shrine set in a cave with lanterns, incense, and many sacred icons, including some fabulous Buddhas. I was looking forward to my party but was also worried about the deadline on this book, feeling stressed, and, as always, more concerned about my friends’ happiness than my own.
That morning, I woke up feeling a bit odd and couldn’t go to the office to write. For four months, I had worked seven days a week; I had assigned myself a strict per-day word count, and if I didn’t make my word minimum, I would beat myself up and increase the already considerable pressure on myself. I had planned to work all day and then go to the party. By mid afternoon, I felt hot and uncomfortable. I tried to read but I couldn’t concentrate on anything. By the evening, I was in the midst of a full-fledged fever and was nearly delirious for two days straight. I missed several days of work and gave up any idea that I could work on this book. I simply had to give in to my body and let it all go. I heard the party was fun and everybody got along great. For me, and almost compulsively social person and over-giver, not attending my own birthday party was unthinkable. Interestingly, it happened, and there was no catastrophe. But, the big news was that I had put my health and myself first.
Afterward, I felt clear, and somehow lighter. Even though I was tragically far behind on all my various projects and duties, I wasn’t worried. I knew they would get done in good time. A thought had flickered through my feverish mind as I lay in bed unable to even lift the remote control to adjust the TV—could that have been the moldavite? It seemed like a silly idea, and I figured I had just caught a flu that came on very suddenly. I had left Robert and Kathy’s book on my writing desk at my office and figured I would reread the moldavite encounters section to see if anyone had had similar reactions. Here is what I found as I paged through their book: “Also for many people, there seems to be a cleansing process involved. Here the moldavite energies go first where there are blockages. When these have been released, there usually follows a pleasant lightness of emotion.”
I have gone on to read many stories of people who at first felt ill or felt like they opened a door into a new reality. Others quit jobs that made them miserable, got out of toxic relationships, moved across the country, and made many other fairly drastic changes. Whatever the change may be, moldavite transforms with no turning back and absolutely no doubt.
I have kept my moldavite crystal on my writing desk to accompany me during the transformative journey of writing this book, I plan to further explore the outer reaches of my moldavite revolution through meditation. I am ready to shed a lot of old habits, old consciousness and cleanse my “doors of perception.”
I urge you to do the same!
Sodalite is a truth-teller’s stone. When wearing it, you have no choice but to express what is in your heart and what you know to be real and right. It is a stone of sincerity. This blue crystal splendor is a relatively rare rock. There are only four known deposits of sodalite in the world: the town of Bancroft, Ontario, where it was first discovered in 1892, two other spots in Canada, and Maine. Sodalite, named for its high sodium content, is the result of volcanic activity in which nepheline rocks were flooded by sodium chlorine, giving this stone the unmatched royal blue color that makes for fine gems when cut. This may well be the reason sodalite is an environmental cleanser, reducing radioactive pollution.
Sodalite is also a balancer and aura cleanser. It is a simplifier, too, showing you how to reorganize your life and reduce stress and wasted time and energy. With this crystal, you will achieve the goals that are right for you on a spiritual level. It is a mental crystal that helps the synapses to fire smoothly and helps you retain wisdom. Sodalite impacts both hemispheres of the brain: the rational, linear half and the imaginative, intuitional side. This rare rock has the rare ability to give you great ideas as well as the impetus and planning ability to make them happen. Sodalite is good for people who are indecisive and easily confused. If you have to make an important decision, meditate with sodalite and you will arrive at exactly the right solution. Tremendous for communication, this stone is good for anyone doing public presentations. It provides the confidence and creativity to express yourself more freely and more honestly.
A popular carving stone, sodalite is coming into vogue as jewelry. Healers use it for digestive issues and to work with diabetes. It is quite good as a massage tool in wand form or as a ball or egg that can be run over the body lightly. As an elixir, it gives confidence, helps lymphoma, and reduces inflammation. If you feel you’re over-busy and that your life is just a little too complicated, wear sodalite at work. Clarity will come!
One quick way to deal with negative and hard emotions is to place some lepidolite stones in a circle and light a pink candle in the center of the circle. Hold one lepidolite stone in your left hand and concentrate on what is holding you back, both spiritually and psychologically. With each issue, feeling, or concern, say, “I let go of ___.” Picture the problem going into the stone in your left hand. When you are feeling full of calm energy, place the pink stone outside your house (where no one will pick it up) and know that you have rid your home, personal space, and psyche of these woes! Whenever you feel the need, let go with lepidolite!
Lepidolite should be called the letting-go stone. It’s like a fresh breeze coming into a room filled with stale air. In elixir form, it’s a wonderful way to deal with addictive behavior or to ride yourself of old patterns that no longer serve you or are potentially unhealthy. This uncommon mica, an ore of lithium, has only recently come onto the gem and mineral market. It is shiny and plate-like in appearance, usually occurring in a pretty, pearly pink or purple color. On occasion, it appears white, and very rarely, it shows up in gray or yellow. This mineral occurs in Brazil, Russia, California, and a few spots throughout Africa. My favorite specimens are the single, large sheets of the lovely mica, which are called books and are an unforgettable violet.
Lepidolite is a great stone for getting a handle on anger issues. It soothes unresolved resentments, hatred, and frustrations. It is another mental stone and amplifies thoughts. Lepidolite is almost like a fairy stone in that it attracts positive energy, brightens spirits, and increases intuition. This is one powerful chakra healer, particularly for the heart and root chakras. One of the most important uses for this stone, albeit with great care, is for healing issues resulting from incest. Lepidolite is so powerful that you can even help manic depression and schizophrenia with it. While I usually have pleasant Piscean dreams, I had a bout with upsetting dreams and nightmares, and lepidolite came to my aid.
If you are lucky enough to come across a lepidolite that has fused with a rubellite tourmaline, then you have a rare rock indeed, and one that has double the power of any other lepidolite. This mauve mica is a commanding tuner for the etheric body, raising the frequency, tone, and pitch of energy in your head. Chakra healers have reported that lepidolite sends energy in a gentle and profoundly medicinal way from the heart chakra to the crown chakra and back again, strengthening the “cord” attaching the etheric body to our body and soul, and to the here and now.
Lazulite, coming from the Arabic word for heaven, got its name for the lovely sky blue color. It also occurs in a pretty oceanic blue or green. This is another one of those stones that has yet to hit major, mainstream popularity, but it might not happen because it is fairly obscure and rare. Lazulite can be found throughout North America and in the diverse locations of Brazil and Afghanistan. It is a calming crystal and offers clarity in health matters, as well, in that it is a filtering and cleansing agent of the blood and the immune system.
I predict lazulite will become enormously trendy as soon as people find out that it is a great stone for organizing. It seems that the feng shui, decluttering, and organizing bug has really taken hold in our current culture. So, help me spread the word—get your act together with lazulite! Lazulite clears away blocks and helps line ideas up in your mind, so you can then replicate them in your outer world. While lazulite is an aid to getting structured, it also prevents compulsive or addictive personality behaviors. It is great for stopping worry.
Meditating with lazulite will help you increase your sense of self-worth. This same crystalline quality can also keep obstacles from getting in the way of your creativity and communication. Personally, I feel like I need to encrust my walls with lazulite.
Dioptase is a vitality stone that cleanses all the chakras, giving vigor to the mind, body, and spirit. This beautiful emeralds green mineral is usually found as crystals massed together in Iran, Namibia, Peru, Chile, Madagascar, Russia, and South Africa. While it is fairly unknown, it is one of the best healing stones of our time, emanating very calming energy. People have also been experimenting with it for pain relief and lowering high blood pressure. The latest discovery about dioptase is that it can be useful for cellular disorders and immune problems; it is said to activate the production of T cells. It also gives respite to those with Ménière’s disease. Dioptase is one of those very rare stones that both calms and energies at the same time, making energy dense, soothing mental stress, and alleviating migraines. A wonderful aspect of dioptase is that this stone triggers past-life recollection and also enables people to live in the present moment— two opposite and extremely positive occurrences. But my favorite aspect of dioptase is that it helps with matters of love. The stone heals a broken heart and opens it to higher love.
Mineral collectors love datolite. The name comes from the Greek word dateishtai, which means “to divide.” Datolite is a fairly fragile rock; the name is no doubt a reference to the fact that datolite crumbles very easily due to its composition of calcium boron silicate hydroxide. It occurs in green, yellow, or brown, and very rarely in orange, red, or gray. It was first discovered in the United States in 1806 in the Connecticut River valley but has since been found in Russia, Canada, Mexico, Norway, Africa, and Michigan. Datolite has a group of sister stones, including bakerite, hingganite, and gadolinite, that can sometimes be found in sheet form. Datolite is most commonly found as a large nodule and in extremely infrequent cases is a faceted crystal. Pink datolite has the sweet name “sugar stone.”
Here is a rare sulfate typically found within highly oxidized ore. Found in North America, especially Mexico, it is most often a white stone but can occasionally come in a cobalt-blue or purple color. It is loveliest in the rich purple and occurs in unusual crystal formations. Creedite is a body cleanser and detoxifier. It encourages self- expression and can give rise to self-understanding as well as a deepened power of perception of others.
True citrine is found in France, Brazil, Russia, the United Kingdom, and North America. Citrine is quite often mistaken for topaz, a gem higher in monetary value. There are dealers who have taken advantage of naive collectors and sold them citrine as topaz. Citrine’s sisters in the quartz family are amethyst, the purple color; milky quartz, a cloudy white; rock crystal, the clear variety; rose quartz, a pretty pink; and smoky quartz, which ranges from gray to brown. Citrine, also called cairngorm, is a birthstone for November and helps with stomachaches. It is a crystal that helps to heighten mental clarity and creativity, increase powers of concentration, and overcome a poor memory. Citrine is an aura protector, touching the chakra system and even helping to repair holes in the aura. It opens the sacral and solar plexus chakras and kindles the crown chakra. Citrine is especially wonderful if you wear it as a jewel in rings while you are working and handling your money.
You should keep a chunk of citrine in your place of work because it will allow you to hear and accept constructive criticism. Tradesmen in India kept citrine in their shops and bazaars to attract money and abundance. An immediate feng- shui cure would be to place a cluster of citrine crystals in your wealth corner. Citrine is also terrific to have on hand in your home, as it is a cleanser of the environment as well as the etheric body. Citrine can help maintain equilibrium between the yin and yang energies—the female and male.
Citrine is quite simply an essential to have; it promotes calmness and brings out a feeling of well-being and happiness. Citrine makes anyone want to be more active and is a strong motivator. So, greater success, better health, and more money? Give me citrine anytime!
