54 replies to this topic

[Broomflower]

I used to work in health food stores, so honestly I'm tempted to answer, "all of them"!  But for personal use, my very favorites are nettle, hawthorn berry, and ginko.  I've had great results with kava-kava and St. Johnswort.  Garlic, ginger, cayenne and tumeric (with black pepper, for the piperine to aid absorption) are also favorites.  Recently the line between healthful herbs taken as supplements, and wholesome, healing foods has begun to blur for me.  I've discovered so-called "superfoods" like maca, and some of the healthful algea, like spirulina and chorella, as well as grass juices like wheat and barley.  I have a manual juicer (hey it was free!) and I can't wait for "real" Spring to get here so I can try juicing some of my favorite wild plants, like purslane.  (Purslane is so, so wonderful!)  I also really appreciate the health benefit of elder flower and berry, rose hips, red clover, hibiscus and of course, where would we be in a NY winter without echinacea?  Oh, I could go on and on about this.  I really want to lead some local herb walks and teach classes, but I have o get settled before I start writing proposals and searching for a venue.

Edited by Broomflower, 01 March 2017 - 11:54 PM.

[Yex]

I recently did a "plant-sit" with a friend, that consisted of doing some trancework after consuming two different plants, respectfully. The plants we worked with were mugwort, in the form of a cold infusion; and dandelion, in the form of a hot tea made from the roots. These are both plants that I've worked with a lot over the years, but I wanted to try to make contact with the spirits of the respective plants, to deepen my relationship with them. I had really good results with both, and they seemed to compliment each other well in the plant sit. I won't go into the details of my trances, but I got a lot of really dreamlike, lunar, feminine imagery from Mugwort; and really bright, masculine, Solar/Jupiterian imagery from Dandelion. I got some instructions (explicit in the case of Dandelion, and implied through imagery with Mugwort) to make wine-infusions with each plant, so I'm looking forward to doing that. 

[Nim]

I recently did a "plant-sit" with a friend, that consisted of doing some trancework after consuming two different plants, respectfully. The plants we worked with were mugwort, in the form of a cold infusion; and dandelion, in the form of a hot tea made from the roots. These are both plants that I've worked with a lot over the years, but I wanted to try to make contact with the spirits of the respective plants, to deepen my relationship with them. I had really good results with both, and they seemed to compliment each other well in the plant sit. I won't go into the details of my trances, but I got a lot of really dreamlike, lunar, feminine imagery from Mugwort; and really bright, masculine, Solar/Jupiterian imagery from Dandelion. I got some instructions (explicit in the case of Dandelion, and implied through imagery with Mugwort) to make wine-infusions with each plant, so I'm looking forward to doing that. 

 

 

I love this idea. Can you tell me how you went about making the mugwort cold infusion? Also, is there a safety limit on consuming mugwort? I've just recently got some mugwort and am wanting to carefully and respectfully experiment with it.

[Nim]

I do like to work with herbs in my work and have a lot of favorites. Lavender and rose are probably my top choices though. I've found them to be extremely versatile, for me.

[Solanaceae]

Nim, I can't speak about the mugwort cold infusion, but mugwort contains thujone and as such can be toxic in large amounts.
As you say you will be treating it respectfully and carefully you should be fine. Try just a bit to start just to be sure as every one reacts differently. Liver toxicity is increased when combined with alcohol, so keep that in mind. Thujone can also build up in your system, so it is not recommended that you use it frequently. If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding then do not use it at all.
As with any plant of this sort, there is no guaranteed safe dose so use common sense.
If you would like to work with the plant without consuming it first you could try burning it or sleeping with a sprig or two under your pillow.

[FrozenThunderbolt]

I love this idea. Can you tell me how you went about making the mugwort cold infusion? Also, is there a safety limit on consuming mugwort? I've just recently got some mugwort and am wanting to carefully and respectfully experiment with it.

To paraphrase a post of mine somewhere else:

 

LD50 of thujone is 45mg/kg of bodyweight (in mice).

Wormwood typically contains .5-1.5mg per gram of total thujone (there are two related types) by weight depending on plant material.
Particularly potent A. absinthium has been recorded with up to 4.8mg per gram.
(Gimpel M, Hönersch Y, Altmann HJ, et al. "Absinth: Abschätzung des Thujongehaltes von Absinthgetränken nach historischen Rezepten". Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau. 102(10):457-63.) Via Erowid.

Based on this even if you had super potent 5mg/gm wormwood (and mugwort tends to have lower thujone), using 8gms would have a theoretical maximum of 40mg of thujone, which is under the LD50 if you weighed only 1kg!

Personally (YMMV) I'm comfortable taking 5-10 gms of dried plant material per day for no more than 3 days at a stretch. I would always give at least a couple of weeks, and preferably a month between consuming mugwort or wormwood.

 

It is important to know that several verities of sage also contain appreciable, and in some cases, comparable levels of thujone, as does tarragon. This should be taken into consideration when avoiding over-consumption of thujone.

The big NEVER-EVER is: DO NOT ingest the EO - most thujone deaths recorded are a result of this - kids trying to get high

 

**********************

Diatribe aside, my list's top magical contenders include:

- Bay laurel

- Artemisia vulgaris - grand wormwood.

- White horehound

- Ska maria pastoria

- Catnip

- Rosemary

 

I do my darnedest to use only what I can grow where possible.

 

I love herbs for medicinal purposes as decoctions, salves and tinctures and I'm REALLY hoping that my elecampane and mullein grow well this year as I have perennial lung problems and the horehound needs help!

[MuireAnne]

I use a lot of chamomile. It's good for so many things: anxious stress, tummy trouble, indigestion, headache, insomnia. It is so calming and gentle-spirited...just inhaling the steam from a cup of chamomile tea seems to melt away stress and discomfort.

I also use lavender essential oil a lot. I put it in bathwater, and mix it with carrier oils like jojoba or light olive for insect repellent or tension headache. Elderberry, echinacea, and yarrow are some others that tend to come out of the cabinet lot this time of year too. I use them to fend off colds and sniffles, sore throats, etc.

[Valmerriss]

I would prefer to grow mine like I used to and I know that for my purposes, it is better to grow and nuture them myself .  As a matter of fact I planted over 75 different varieties this past Spring but my garden failed this year.  I will be able to plant more again but in the meantime, does anyone have suggestions for buying dried herbs and spices?  Thanks for your input. 

[MuireAnne]

I would prefer to grow mine like I used to and I know that for my purposes, it is better to grow and nuture them myself .  As a matter of fact I planted over 75 different varieties this past Spring but my garden failed this year.  I will be able to plant more again but in the meantime, does anyone have suggestions for buying dried herbs and spices?  Thanks for your input.

I love Mountain Rose Herbs. I have always gotten great product from them and their prices are more than reasonable.

[GhostAndTheWolf]

Is Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs a good book to reference?

[Nim]

Nim, I can't speak about the mugwort cold infusion, but mugwort contains thujone and as such can be toxic in large amounts.
As you say you will be treating it respectfully and carefully you should be fine. Try just a bit to start just to be sure as every one reacts differently. Liver toxicity is increased when combined with alcohol, so keep that in mind. Thujone can also build up in your system, so it is not recommended that you use it frequently. If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding then do not use it at all.
As with any plant of this sort, there is no guaranteed safe dose so use common sense.
If you would like to work with the plant without consuming it first you could try burning it or sleeping with a sprig or two under your pillow.

 

Solanaceae, that's what I was wondering. I wasn't sure whether it was in the poisonous category or not. I will be putting it off for a while for myself since I'm still nursing, but this is exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I like the burning or sleeping with mugwort to start. Thank you for that.

 

 

To paraphrase a post of mine somewhere else:

 

LD50 of thujone is 45mg/kg of bodyweight (in mice).

Wormwood typically contains .5-1.5mg per gram of total thujone (there are two related types) by weight depending on plant material.
Particularly potent A. absinthium has been recorded with up to 4.8mg per gram.
(Gimpel M, Hönersch Y, Altmann HJ, et al. "Absinth: Abschätzung des Thujongehaltes von Absinthgetränken nach historischen Rezepten". Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau. 102(10):457-63.) Via Erowid.

Based on this even if you had super potent 5mg/gm wormwood (and mugwort tends to have lower thujone), using 8gms would have a theoretical maximum of 40mg of thujone, which is under the LD50 if you weighed only 1kg!

Personally (YMMV) I'm comfortable taking 5-10 gms of dried plant material per day for no more than 3 days at a stretch. I would always give at least a couple of weeks, and preferably a month between consuming mugwort or wormwood.

 

It is important to know that several verities of sage also contain appreciable, and in some cases, comparable levels of thujone, as does tarragon. This should be taken into consideration when avoiding over-consumption of thujone.

The big NEVER-EVER is: DO NOT ingest the EO - most thujone deaths recorded are a result of this - kids trying to get high

 

**********************

Diatribe aside, my list's top magical contenders include:

- Bay laurel

- Artemisia vulgaris - grand wormwood.

- White horehound

- Ska maria pastoria

- Catnip

- Rosemary

 

I do my darnedest to use only what I can grow where possible.

 

I love herbs for medicinal purposes as decoctions, salves and tinctures and I'm REALLY hoping that my elecampane and mullein grow well this year as I have perennial lung problems and the horehound needs help!

 

 

FT, WOW! This information is amazing. Thank you! I feel like I can make some judgement calls on dosage and duration once I'm ready to start experimenting. And never the EO. Honestly, with little kids around, I'd be afraid to even have the EO in the house.

 

I forgot bay laurel! It's been crucial in my work for the past couple of years. 

[Solanaceae]

Is Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs a good book to reference?

 

 

 

 

 

 

In general I personally would say no, but I guess it depends on what you are looking for. 

It is very limited.

For magickal correspondences? Not bad.

For medicinal uses? Really bad because that is not the purpose of the book at all.

 

If you are looking for info on herbs, magickal and medicinal, check out our very own Mountain Witch's blog and books, the lady knows her stuff.

Edited by Solanaceae, 14 September 2017 - 01:42 AM.

[Valmerriss]

If you are looking for info on herbs, magickal and medicinal, check out our very own Mountain Witch's blog and books, the lady knows her stuff.

 

Not to speak of Mountain Witch as if she's not here...but, does she, (or do you if you are reading this) publish under "Mountain Witch."  How do I find the blog and books?

 

Thank you!!!

 

~ Valmerriss

[Solanaceae]

Not to speak of Mountain Witch as if she's not here...but, does she, (or do you if you are reading this) publish under "Mountain Witch."  How do I find the blog and books?

 

Thank you!!!

 

~ Valmerriss

 

 

 

She has a link to her blog and website where you could buy her books linked in her signature under her profile;

I will link it for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mountain Witch

 

You can access my blog and get autographed copies of my books through my website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the record in case it is not clear, that is Mountain Witch's website.

 

 

Hope you won't mind my posting that MW.

Edited by Solanaceae, 16 September 2017 - 12:12 AM.

[Mountain Witch]

 

Hope you won't mind my posting that MW.

 

Not at all! And thanks for the kudos.