Loose Herbs

Sweet Woodruff is native to northern and central Europe, Siberia and northern Africa, but now cultivated in North America. This aromatic herb soothes nervousness, and restlessness and occasional sleeplessness.

Woodruff has been used since the Middle Ages both for culinary and medicinal purposes. The leaves were added to flavor wines, liquors, cakes, and fruit salads. In other applications, Woodruff was and still is used in potpourris and sachets. The dried leaves have the scent of new-mown hay, vanilla and honey.

NOTE: There seems to be some disagreement regarding the use of this herb.. some sites regard it as potentially poisonous in large quantities and can increase the risk of bleeding... use at your own discretion and with caution.
Do not use if Pregnant or Breastfeeding.

Magical:
Sweet Woodruff is associated with protection, victory, money, and male sexuality. It was once used by Catholics, hung in cathedrals and churches to ward off evil. According to Mrs. Grieve's Modern Herbal, Sweet Woodruff was 'hung and strewn in churches, and St. Barnabas Day and on St. Peter's, bunches of box, Woodruff, lavender and roses found a place there.'

This is a wonderful herb to incorporate into Beltane celebrations by wearing the leaves, or decorating the sacred space with sprigs of the leaves and flowers, or by adding it to wreaths.

In Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs it is said that this herb was used in Germany to flavor May wine to celebrate the coming of spring, a tradition that dates back to the 1200's.

Sweet Woodruff can be used in rituals that honor Gods associated with the woodland, such as Herne and Cernunnos, and used in spells to stir male sexuality.

The botanical family of Artemisia is rather large and many writers don't differentiate much between different species. Thus, there is a lot of confusion over Wormwood, Artemisia absinthium, the green herb fairy. Most commonly it is confused with Mugwort and Southernwood, but in fact it is far more bitter than either of these and it is also more psychoactive. Back in the 19th century a, bright green drink was made from Wormwood and other herbs which became extremely fashionable with the Avant-garde. This concoction had a very high thujone content and it soon became evident that Absinth got its adherents more than just a little tipsy. Thujone is a nerve poison and Absinth became the 'designer drink' of choice among the artists of the 'belle epoch'. Numerous painters, writers and musicians succumbed to the allure of the green fairy, who drove many of them to edge and beyond the threshold between genius and madness. Absinth soon became illegal and still remains so in most countries. Nevertheless, Wormwood remains an elusive temptation among modern psychonauts, looking for cheap and exotic (albeit dangerous) thrills.

Of course, Wormwood also has an ancient history as a sacred herb and powerful medicine. Used appropriately, in the right amounts, it can indeed be very beneficial. In medieval times Wormwood was used as an insect repellent strewing herb. It also produces compounds that suppress plant growth and gardeners sometimes use Wormwood infusion to keep weeds down. However - don't use this around baby plants that you want to encourage, but only near well established plants. This concoction also discourages bugs and slugs.

Medicinal Uses: Wormwood is exceedingly bitter and thus stimulates the digestive system and metabolism like no other herb. It helps to regulate the balance of stomach juices and stimulates the flow of bile. Wormwood cleanses the liver and kidneys and is regarded as a tonic for the blood and circulation. However, large doses of Wormwood are toxic to the kidneys. As the name suggests, it is one of the best anthelmitics, which can ruthlessly kill and expel intestinal worms. The ancients recommended it as a preventative anti-infectious agent that could be used to ward off highly infectious diseases. Externally it was applied in cases of lumbago and even paralysis.

CAUTION: Wormwood is a powerful stimulant for the uterine system and should be avoided during pregnancy. Also, do not use if prone to inner bleeding or suffering from bleeding hemorrhoids. Use in small doses only. Avoid if you are allergic to plants of the daisy family.

Magical Uses: Wormwood is a powerful protective plant. Our Neolithic ancestors used Wormwood and Mugwort as their primary sacred herbs for smudging and cleansing. Wormwood clears the psychic channels and can be used for astral travel and channeling. In folk-magical practice it was used to protect the grain or growing crops against mice, vermin and insects. It is said to protect against mischievous elves and evil spirits and was used in anti-daemonic spells, particularly at the beginning of the year or at winter solstice. Wormwood was also sprinkled around the house or hung above the windows and doors to ward off evil spirits and disease.

A South American relation of the Holly tree, Maté enjoys great popularity - at least in South America. In recent years that popularity has caught on in other parts of the world as well. The secret to its high esteem are not its looks, but rather to be found in its properties
. Maté is the South American equivalent of Coffee or Tea. Maté bars are as ubiquitous as coffee houses in Europe or North America. But its consumption is far more ceremonious than that of our favorite brown brews.
Mate is traditionally served not in cups, but in little gourds, from which it derived its name (Mati was the name of the gourd, which in time attached itself to the herb itself). The gourd is half filled with the cured and cut Maté leaves and topped with hot (not boiling) water. The resulting tea is sucked through a 'bombilla', a metal straw that ends in a kind of sieve, which prevents the leaves from clogging up the tube.
Maté contains less caffeine than coffee, but more than black tea and is a hugely popular stimulating beverage. It first became known in the West via the Jesuits who learned about Maté from the Guarani Indians of Paraguay. They tried the tea and liked its effect - so much so, that in the early days it was also known as 'Jesuit tea'. Today, worldwide demand has risen dramatically and Maté plantations have been established to meet the demand.

Medicinal Uses:
Maté tea is an effective, refreshing stimulant, which can be drunk as a substitute for Tea or Coffee. As an effective nervous system tonic it refreshes the mind and enhances memory, while combating fatigue, nervous exhaustion and stress. It also counteracts certain types of headaches and depression. In Western herbal medicine it has been used for attention deficit syndrome. Maté is rich in vitamins and amino acids an can suppress appetite, a property which has made it a popular choice in certain herbal weight-loss formulations. In South America it is used as a blood cleanser and antioxidant, immune system stimulant and anti-inflammatory agent. Its anti-inflammatory properties rely on its ability to stimulate the production of cortisone.

CAUTION: Contains Caffeine

Magical Uses:
The Guarani Indians consider Maté one of the most important herbs the creator God has given them. It is widely used in ceremonies to facilitate clearing the mind to focus on the ritual. It is almost always used in healing rituals as a base for other healing herbs. Guarani shamans sometimes use this herb to achieve a clairvoyant trance. It also plays a role as an aphrodisiac.

Yerba Santa is at home in the South-western mountains of North America. The Spaniards named this herb for what it is - Yerba Santa means 'holy herb'. The Western tribes had long used it for medicinal and spiritual purposes. It is especially valued as a smudging herb for healing rituals as it is thought to neutralize disease causing energies and offer protection. It is thought to bring peace and understanding and is used to heal the emotional wounds of quarrels.

Medicinal Uses Yerba santa leaves warm and stimulate the respiratory system; reduce inflammation in the sinuses, throat, and lungs; and dry excessive secretions of the lungs or upper respiratory tract. Take the leaf tincture to relieve chronic asthma, bronchitis, or seasonal allergies accompanied by copious and easily expectorated mucus discharge, but keep in mind that yerba santa leaves can be very astringent. If taken in higher doses—more than about 45 drops—the drying effect may make your tongue feel like it’s been wrung out, but if taken in smaller doses, you will find that yerba santa first gently dries and then remoistens and refreshes the mucous membranes.

The cooled tea or the tincture in room temperature water speeds the healing of urinary tract infections characterized by mucus discharge. The tea drunk hot or the tincture in hot water promotes sweating and increases circulation to the extremities and the surface of the skin.

Also known as consumptive’s weed, yerba santa leaf has a history of use for treating tubercular cough and wasting away. Its high flavonoid content, represented by its sweet taste, points to its ability to nourish, build, and maintain the integrity of tissues.

Yerba santa has a very interesting taste characteristic—it starts out bitter and slowly gets sweeter. It teaches us how to find sweetness in the bitter experiences of life by bringing awareness to the initiatory power of trauma. In a similar way through its association with fire, yerba santa aligns us with the myth of the phoenix rising from the ashes.

Burn the leaves as smudge to purify spaces and to clear heavy or dark energies from people. Crush the leaves and add them to herbal smoking mixes to help clear mucus from the lungs.

This pleasant herb is good for dressing altars and as an ingredient in a charm bag carried for protection or to increase divinatory abilities. Burned in the sick room, its fragrance helps dispel hostile spirits that might be involved in the disease, and it makes a nice purifying potpourri when combined with spearmint and cascara sagrada.

Some make a decoction (pour boiling water over the herb and let steep) and bring to the cemetery to pour over the grave of someone whose spirit you wish to contact in dreamwork. Others add it to bath water for magical beautification. Yerba santa is a nice ingredient for healing incenses as well. It smells great!

Yerba santa is used for psychic power, healing, empowerment, beauty, & protection. It is feminine in nature. In magic, Yerba Santa can also be used for making poppets, creating your own tinctures, charms or mojo bags, ritual baths, spellcraft supplies, or for making your own magick powders or ritual incense blends. Add Yerba Santa to your bath, to bring out your own inner beauty.

Spiritually, it is said that yerba santa helps to release the emotional pain that is often stored in the lungs and heart areas, such as grief, depression, melancholy, and despair. These emotions can impair the breathing and flow of soul energy. Yerba santa can help one to recognize and release these energies, allowing the spiritual body to come back into balance. As an incense it’s also called “Portable Temple” because it will drive out negative influences and restores a guarded boundary of protection.

Yerba santa leaves warm and stimulate the respiratory system; reduce inflammation in the sinuses, throat, and lungs; and dry excessive secretions of the lungs or upper respiratory tract. Take the leaf tincture to relieve chronic asthma, bronchitis, or seasonal allergies accompanied by copious and easily expectorated mucus discharge, but keep in mind that yerba santa leaves can be very astringent. If taken in higher doses—more than about 45 drops—the drying effect may make your tongue feel like it’s been wrung out, but if taken in smaller doses, you will find that yerba santa first gently dries and then re-moistens and refreshes the mucous membranes.