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.
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.
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.