Common And Powerful Healing Plants You Can Find In Your Back Garden

So many of us oppose Big Pharma, GMOs, and pesticides being sprayed on our food. Then the poisoning of our air, water, soil and Ecosystem of plant life should be vitally important. We can’t stand the pollution in our system, but we know we might not live without it if we got sick or severely injured. This is why preventative maintenance,  Raising our immune systems, and discovering the long-lost art of plant medicine is so important. In search of alternatives, we have to rediscover what our ancestors knew so well: that pretty much every tree, bush, flower and herb we see around us can be used to heal various illnesses. These medicines still grow all around us to this day, on every continent on the planet, and learning how to use them is our birthright. 

The growing interest in herbalism is a positive step in the right direction for humanity, after so many decades and years depending on an empire of consumerism. It’s amazing to realize just how many common plants you can use for a wide variety of diseases, from eczema and depression to flu and gallstones.

The following plants and herbs should ideally be gathered fresh from the countryside or garden, although they can be dried and stored for when needed. The best time to pick them is in the early morning (after dew has evaporated) in spring or summer. Leaves should be gathered while young, and their stalks trimmed off. Flowers should also be picked when young and freshly open, before they are visited by bees and other insects. Seeds should be left on the plant to ripen before being taken (a sign that seeds are ripe is the yellowing of leaves). Roots and barks should be gathered in early Spring or Fall. Don’t pick anything that is wilted, eaten by insects, faded, old or mottled. Finally (although not easy nowadays) you must bear in mind any man-made toxins on the plants. If you can gather them from a place that is sure to be pesticide-free, do it there.

Deciding which remedies to include, I chose those which are easy to find wherever you are. If you can’t find a specific plant where you live, consider buying the seeds online or check out your local health food or Chinese medicine shop for powders, ointments or oils. A note on measurements: the exact amount isn’t quite as important in plant medicine as it is in toxic pharmaceutical drugs, so ‘traditional’ ways of describing measurements (spoonfuls, cupfuls, handfuls etc) are sufficient in herbalism. Nature is gentle, so just use your common sense (and the internet if you have any doubts). 

PLANTAIN

Plantain, like dandelion, is a healthy, hardy weed as ubiquitous in the city as broken glass. You know what it looks like, but you might not have known the name.

Part of the confusion is that plantain shares its name with something utterly different, the banana-like plantain, whose etymology is a mix of Spanish and native Caribbean. The so-called weed plantain, or Plantago major, was cultivated by Native Americans. There is also the Plantain that European settlers pre-Columbus brought to the Americas.

Plantain has a nutritional profile similar to dandelion — that is, loaded with iron and other important vitamins and minerals. The leaves are tastiest when small and tender, usually in the spring but whenever new shoots appear after being cut back by a lawnmower. Bigger leaves are edible but bitter and fibrous.

The shoots of the broadleaf plantain, when green and tender and no longer than about four inches, can be described as a poor-man's fiddlehead, with a nutty, asparagus-like taste. Pan-fry in olive oil for just a few seconds to bring out this taste. The longer, browner shoots are also tasty prepared the same way, but the inner stem is too fibrous. You'll need to place the shoot in your mouth, clench with your teeth, and quickly pull out the stem. What you're eating are the plantain seeds.

The leaves of the equally ubiquitous narrow-leaf plantain, or Plantago lanceolata, also are edible when young. The shoot is "edible" only with quotation marks. You can eat the seeds should you have the patience to collect hundreds of plants for the handful of seeds you'd harvest. With time being money, it's likely not worth it.

Plantain

Plantain

Plantain

Burdock

(Arctium Lappa/Arctium Minus. England, Europe, some parts of northern USA)

Usually thought to be little more than a persistent weed, Burdock is revered in herbal medicine. This spiky purple plant protects against cancer and detoxifies the body. The root, herb and seeds can be used (usually as an infusion) to aid digestion and settle the stomach, and it is a great blood purifier. The root specifically heals scurvy, boils and rheumatism. Bruises, swellings and ulcers can also be cured with burdock poultices, as well as eczema, acne, scoriosis, and other dry or flaky skin problems. This amazing plant is also an effective treatment for gout, diabetes, cystitis, loss of appetite, and when used along with dandelion root it gives the liver an extra boost.

 Dandelion

(Taraxacum officinale. Temperate parts of Northern hemisphere)

Another plant that most presume to be just another annoying weed, dandelions are full of healing properties, from roots to flowers. Their leaves and stems are filled with a creamy white juice, which acts as a magic medicine for a whole range of problems. Dandelion cleanses the blood by neutralizing the acids and is an excellent diuretic and kidney tonic. It is a powerful remedy for all kinds of liver disorders (especially jaundice), and the root has been known to cure gallstones, gout, rheumatism and dyspepsia. To aid these illnesses, you need to roast the roots (best collected at the end of the year) in the oven at a low temperature for several hours (until you can smell a nice aroma). You then crush them into a powder to drink with hot water, known as ‘Dandelion coffee’. Real coffee can be added to taste. Dandelion is also an effective treatment for bee stings, warts and blisters (simply apply juice until healed), and can even be taken to fight diabetes and obesity. Just six leaves eaten raw daily will make a huge difference, or an infusion if you prefer.

DANDELION

Dandelion is one of the healthiest and most versatile vegetables on the planet. The entire plant is edible. The leaves are like vitamin pills, containing generous amounts of vitamins A, C and K — far more than those garden tomatoes, in fact — along with calcium, iron, manganese, and potassium.

The leaves are most tender, and tastiest, when they are young. This happens in the spring but also all summer along as the plant tries to rebound after being cut or pulled. You can add them to soup in great abundance. Or you can prepare them Italian style by sautéing with a little olive oil, salt, garlic and some hot red pepper.

You can eat the bright, open flower heads in a lightly fried batter. You can also make a simple wine with the flowers by fermenting them with raisins and yeast. If you are slightly adventurous, you can roast the dandelion root, grind it, and brew it like coffee. It's an acquired taste. You might want to have some sugar on hand.

Dandelion Greens

The yellow-topped flower is happily shunned and sprayed, but did you know it is one of the most healing herbs for the liver and kidneys? Dandelion (the flower and greens) is a diuretic, contains potassium, alleviates arthritis and intestinal disorders, and is even thought to regulate blood sugar levels. Used topically, it also has use to treat skin disorders such as Eczema.

Elder

(Sambucus Nigra. Europe, Britain, some parts of Northern America)

Elder is a hedgerow shrub that is sacred to many, and has such a potent healing properties it’s been known to cure blindness (by repairing nerve damage, for example during a bomb blast). Every part of the bush can be used for many purposes, from bark to roots. Elder encourages perspiration and eliminates toxins, The root can be washed and soaked to treat all lymphatic ailments. The bark is a strong purgative and can be made into a tincture (more information here) to relieve asthma and croup. For epilepsy, elder bark can be dried and powdered (remove from the inner side, powdered and drunk with wine either daily to reduce fits, or every quarter hour when a fit is imminent). The leaves are full of medicinal properties and can be made into green elder ointment to treat bruises, sprains, itches, ringworm, haemorrhoids, and skin conditions. They can be used as an infusion. Elderflowers can be distilled or dried, the water used to treat eye problems. As an infusion, elderflowers are a gentle laxative. The tea can also be used to treat coughs, colds and flu, and it purifies the blood. Making a poultice from the flowers is an effective treatment for wounds, scalds and burns, and also cures chapped skin and chilblains. Elder has a reputation for being a fantastic aid to beautiful and healthy skin and hair.

Golden Seal

(Hydrastis Canadensis. Eastern USA, Canada)

This bitter herb increases circulation to the uterus and has been used for centuries to ease labor pains and heavy periods (but don’t use for prolonged periods if you are pregnant, and avoid if you have diabetes, glaucoma or heart disease). Golden Seal acts as an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory to also treat indigestion, constipation and help to regulate periods. It stops colds and sore throats if taken when the first signs appear, and it can cure bronchitis, sore sinuses and respiratory conditions. An all-round wonder ‘drug’, Golden Seal can be taken dried and powdered, as a tincture or an infusion, to strengthen the immune and digestive systems for a whole range of ailments. Native Americans used it as a dye for their clothing, and as a remedy for bad digestion and sore eyes. The root of Golden Seal eases constipation, sickness and vomiting.

 

Fennel

(Foeniculum vulgare. India, Middle East and Europe)

Fennel water is used as an ingredient in common tonics to settle babies’ stomachs and relieve colic. The leaves, hearts, roots and seeds are all beneficial, used as distilled water or an essential oil, made from crushed leaves. Fennel is an anti-depressant and also boosts the flow of milk in breastfeeding mothers. It can aid a wide range of ailments: arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, wind, anxiety and melancholy, cellulite, nausea, indigestion, cramps, urinary tract infections, gum disease, and detoxification of the body. Fennel is believed to give long life when taken regularly (fennel tea bags are easy to find).

 

*The information on this Blogsite has been put together for general information, education, reference, Spirituality Current Events, and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any specific condition. Ask your doctor for his professional advice before making radical changes in your diet and lifestyle. 

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BASIL & BES their Spiritual Metaphysical and Aromatherapy properties

BASIL BES- their Spiritual,and Aromatherapy properties



BES

Aromatherapy

Holy Basil - Tulsi

Basil is BES!

We often fail to recognize the multi dimensions of ourselves in nature. Nature/ Neteru provides all of the healing and balance that our spiritual, mental, and body needs to thrive. Spending time around The sun, water, the breeze of fresh air, nature and living things can keep us centered and balanced in an urban environment. To have plants, herbs and flowers around us in our environment as living entities, in our homes, around our children, and to visit the sick, can keep us connected to the the healing, nurturing, aspects of life.

Basil is a symbol of fertility and is also known as the symbol for love because the leaves resemble hearts (Akoma). The Basil (plant spirit) is also a protector of family, and burning basil oil will help to clear negativity from the home and bring blessings and happiness to a new home. Basil creates a sympathetic vibration and is often worn to assist in clashes with other people. Wear basil oil to protect you in crowds. The scent of basil causes sympathy between two people and is used to mend lovers' quarrels. Basil is used also to ensure fidelity between lovers. Basil stimulates the conscious mind to invoke happiness. Use it in a ritual bath to bring new love in, or to free yourself of an old love. Opens the heart meridian-clears energy movement between the heart and the hands.

Basil aroma is also associated with clairvoyance, used to enhance visions and direction, and to promote honesty and positive outcomes and development.

Characteristics: There are many varieties of basil, and basil can include many color variations, but basil can easily be identified by its large, thin oval and easily bruised leaves. Basil, is in the same family as peppermint and is used to season sauces, soups, salads and pasta dishes all around the world.

Flavor: Basil is sweet, peppery and offers a slight anise-like aftertaste. Basil pairs with: tomato, garlic, onion, cilantro, mint and fennel.Basil also offers many important health benefits.

Medicinal Uses: One of the primary medicinal uses for basil is for its anti-inflammatory properties, making basil an ideal treatment for people with arthritis. Basil has strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. It is traditionally thought to stimulate the appetite and ease stomach upset. In Chinese medicine, basil is thought to support kidney function and ease gum ulcers. In classic Indian medicine, basil has been used to treat everything from earaches and itching to malaria, arthritis and anorexia. Like tarragon, one of basil’s major volatile oils is estragole that blocks enzymes in the body that cause swelling.

Basil, especially as an extract or oil, is known to have exceptionally powerful antioxidant properties that can protect the body from premature aging, common skin issues, age-related problems and even some types of cancer. The herb also contains the flavonoids orientin and vicenin, which are plant pigments that shield your cell structures from oxygen and radiation damage.

Both fresh basil and basil oil have strong antibacterial capabilities. In fact, basil has been shown to stop the growth of many bacteria, even some that had grown resistant to other antibiotics. Basil can be applied to wounds to help prevent bacterial infections. So, by adding basil oil to your salad dressings, you can help ensure your vegetables are safe to eat.

Basil oil can be used to assist in constipation, stomach cramps and indigestion as well as the cold, flu, asthma, whooping cough, bronchitis and sinus infections. It is also a great source of magnesium, an essential mineral that helps the body’s blood vessels relax, which can improve blood flow.

DISCLAIMER: The above statements are not from the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. We recommend that you consult with a physician from the American Medical Association especially when using prescribed medications or treatments. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Bes and Basil

I noticed the similarities of names of Bes and Basil. Our Ancestors have often hidden our knowledge in children's stories and characters to engage our memories to hold onto and "Re-Member" wisdom. The similarities in the spiritual properties found in the old knowledge of herbs and their medicinal and healing applications were often the only remedies for people with no access to doctors or hospitals. These characters represent our mother wisdom that was passed down from generation to generation.

Found in Wikipedia: Bes (pron.: /bɛs/; also spelled as Bisu) is a Kemetic (Ancient "Egyptian") Icon, symbolized as a protector of households, and in particular, of mothers and children and childbirth. Bes later came to be regarded as the defender of everything good and the enemy of all that is bad. While past studies identified Bes as a Middle Kingdom import from Nubia, more recent research indicates that he was present in Egypt since the start of the Old Kingdom. Mentions of Bes can be traced to pre-dynastic Nile Valley cultures; however, his form appears to be found all over the world.






Bes is the spiritual protector, promoter and healer of the home and family. He/She encourages fertility and watches over and teaches parents and children in their growth and development. Bes holds all of the wisdom and knowledge of the earth. She knows the cycles of time and the seasons. She knows the healing properties of all herbs. She is familiar with the gardens, forests, animals, insects, lakes, rivers, mountains and caves. She knows the prayers, chants, lyrics, limericks, lullabies, bedtime stories, dances, mathematics, letters, formulas, recipes, and words of power. Bes epitomizes the Shaman healer of the Nome or Klan. He is chemistry and physics. She represents the Sage, guardian and spiritual intuitive energy to ward off hostile energy from your family, life, home, office or wherever it is present. Bes controls The weather, the rain, and the wind, the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Bes is Majic. He loves gold and can draw wealth and prosperity to the home. You can find this symbolic image of Bes all over the world. The earliest images of Elves, Trolls, Leprechauns, Fairies and Gnomes from all over the world were Black. The people are all characteristic and symbolic of our ancient Ancestors -the Twa and Khoisan (also known as "Pigmy") Mother and Father, with their history and wisdom of nature and the universe.

Here is an excerpt of a great find of manuscript below:

On the extreme right of the façade: A Pygmy in the court of Egypt.

Pepy II's letter to Herkuf

A fourth, unnarrated, campaign to the land of Yam must have taken place, during which Harkhuf sent a letter to the young king Pepi II to inform him, particularly, that he was bringing back a pygmy, which resulted in the rest of the inscription. In fact, Pepi II wrote a letter in reply to that of Harkhuf, who was so proud of it that he had the text inscribed on the façade of his tomb in Aswan. Since little space remained, he had to prepare a space for it at the extreme right of the façade. Thus, the only complete royal letter dating from the old Kingdom has reached us.:

“ Seal of the king Himself. Second year of His reign, third month of the season akhet, fifteenth day. Royal decree (to) the Sole Companion, Lector-Priest, chief of interpreters, Harkhuf.

I have acquainted myself with the words of your letter, which you addressed to the king in the palace to inform him that you travelled in peace to the land of Yam, with the army, which accompanied you. You said in your letter that you were bringing back all sorts of presents, important and beautiful, which Hathor, lady of Imaou, gave for the ka of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Neferkare- may he live eternally and forever! You also say in your letter that you will bring back a pygmy (for) the dances of the God and coming from the land of the inhabitants of the horizon and similar to the pygmy which the treasurer of the God, Bawerded brought back from Punt in the time of the king Isesi. cartouche of king Djed-Ka-Re (Isesi)

You also say to My Majesty: never before has such a (pygmy) been brought back by any of those who have visited the land of Yam. It is said that, each year, you accomplish that which your royal Lord wishes and praises. You pass your days and your nights thinking of doing that which your Lord wishes, praises and commands. So My Majesty will act such that the numerous and excellent honours which are yours shall also please the sons of your son for eternity and that men will say, when they hear what my Majesty has done for you “ is there any parallel to that which was done for the Sole Companion Harkhuf when he came back from the land of Yam, because of the diligence with which he carried out that which his Lord wished, praised and commanded.?”

Come back, then, to the north, to the Residence. Leave (everything) and bring with you the pygmy which you have brought from the land of the inhabitants of the horizon, alive, in good health and strong so that he may dance for the God and make cheerful and rejoicing the heart of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Neferkare- may he live eternally!

If you come with him in the ship, set well-advised men about him on both sides of the boat and take care that he does not fall in the water. If he lies down to sleep during the night, have wise men to sleep beside him in his tent; go and check, ten times in the night. Because My Majesty wishes to see this pygmy more than all the tributes of Sinai or Punt.

If you reach the Residence and the pygmy is with you, alive, in good health and strong, My Majesty will do great things for you, more important than those which were done for the treasurer of the God, Bawerded, in the time of the king Isesi, according to the desire which My Majesty has to see this famous pygmy. Orders have been sent to the chief of the new town, Sole Companion and steward of the priests to command that victuals be taken by his care in every warehouse town and in every temple, without exception.
https://www.inkling.com/read/traditions-and-encounters-jerry-bentley-5th/chapter-3/harkhufs-expeditions-to-nubia

Zwarte Piet/ Pieten(Black Pete) is depicted annually, as a profound Character who has deep roots in traditional Dutch and Netherlands folklore. He appears in The Netherlands as a Spanish Moor (common to southern Holland in the 1500s), in caricature, as a Black man, with gold earrings and colorful period costumes of a Moor.

The story goes that Zwarte Piet chose to work with Saint Nicholas as his engineer and magical accompaniment. Since the 18th century in Holland, he has been depicted as a companion to Saint Nicholas in all of his holiday travels. Zwarte Pieten is today commonly depicted as a black person in the colorful pantaloons, feathered cap and ruffles of a Renaissance Moor, This character and tradition was later recorded in a children's book published in 1850. Zwarte Pieten is often portrayed as a mischievous but rarely mean-spirited character, the character is believed to have been derived from Bes the spirit pagan after his traditions. Nowadays, Zwarte Pieten has become a much more respected assistant of Saint Nicholas, often humorous, self-determined, magical and playful. 

Wikipedia:

Zwarte Piet (pronounced ['zʋɑrtə pit], translated to "Black Pete") is the companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch: Sinterklaas from which the American figure of Santa Claus is derived,) in the folklore of the Low Countries. In its modern form, the character is commonly depicted as a blackamoor, with blackface make-up, and dressed in stylized colorful Renaissance attire, akin to Maures in European heraldry, and similar to Moorish characters in the "Moors and Christians" Iberian folk festivals commemorating the Reconquista.

Currently, the media is presenting articles about the many Black people who are protesting the public displays of Zwarte Piet by Dutch people wearing "blackface" and Moorish styled costumes. So now the Dutch, meet Globalization –We now exist in a global world and that means we have to expand our knowledge about other cultures and peoples that make up diverse societies. The festival of Black Pete does, appear to be the glaring elephant in the room in the face of the invasion of South Africa by the Dutch!.. I now reflect back as a child living in Germany, people were so fascinated by us as a family, when they saw us in public, at Shopping districts. They would sometimes approach me as a child, and touch my skin… Seeing us must have brought back childhood memories of Black Pete. Understanding that the depiction of Moors and Moorish people in Europe has been slanted as one of servitude, now that there are more Black citizens in Europe, due to the colonization of Africa and the rest of the world, We now see people of African descent living as equals and in authority, all over Europe.

The History of the Moors in Europe goes back to a successful harmony of rulership for almost 1000 years.
Yet, Black Twa /Khoisan were actually the first to populate early Europe. Their presence was still in existence, living as Original peoples, as Twa Khoisan, up to their discovery by Nazis, after WWII. The Nazis gave these remaining Original Europeans the choice of sterilization or incarceration in a death camp.

Actually, Black Pete was a free man who voluntarily worked with "Sinterklaas." He had the upper hand over his counterpart and was the essential agent in the success of this operation for children. Yet the perpetuation of the depiction of servitude, (which reinforces the idea that Black people should be always in that role,) together with the notorious and horrible history and tradition of black-face in the US, means that it is time to revisit some of the old traditions and change them. It does matter that the tradition of black-face was most prominent and therefore most hurtful in the United States.

Black-Face was worn by Caucasian men, in the United States in the late 19th through the 20th Centuries of the U.S. For more than 100 years, an act of domestic terrorism against people of African descent, was cast as the laws of Jim Crow. The United States actually created domestic State laws against people of African descent, as a backlash to the reconstruction period, after the domestic Civil War of 1891.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_American_Civil_War
The American Civil War was a war fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865, between the North and the South. The Civil War is the most studied and written about episode in U.S. history. Primarily as a result of the long-standing controversy over the enslavement of black people, war broke out in April 1861
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackface
But as with all things, we must find the balance between honoring what is important and adapting to the needs to respect the human dignity of all. If we wish to remember or honor the tradition of "Black Pete", then let him be portrayed by willing black actors/celebrants and as the willing friend of Sinterklaas that he is, and not a comic figure, slave or buffoon. I know that he has been portrayed by Dutch for countless generations in black face, as a celebration for children, of a long forgotten historical person, most likely a Moor. However, the time for black face anywhere has come to an end.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/15/black-pete-arrests_n_6163926.html


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