Nettle Leaf - Urtica dioica

Dried Nettles may feel a little prickly, but they do not sting and they yield their nutritional benefits without much further ado.
Nettles are very cleansing on both, the digestive tract and the kidneys, from which they remove waste materials in a thorough, yet undramatic way. Nettles have the ability to flush out uric acid crystals from arthritic joints and will eliminate them via the kidneys. Thus, they can be used as a supportive blood cleansing remedy for skin conditions such as eczema or for rheumatic and arthritic conditions. They are strongly diuretic and can be helpful in cases of edema or to support the treatment of bladder and kidney complaints.
Nettles are very rich in iron and provide good nutritional support for women
, especially during pregnancy or menstruation.
They are styptic and will help to inhibit internal and external bleeding. They also have an anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine effect, which, in combination with other herbs, is used to control hay fever and other allergic reactions.
The leaves can stimulate the production of mother's milk, while the seeds are said to increase sexual potency in men.

Magical Uses:
Nettles are often mentioned in association with love potions. Especially the seeds are said to have aphrodisiac properties. Nettles are also used for protection - worn as amulets or hung above stable doors they ward off evil witches and demons. In particular, Nettles are often used to protect milk or beer from turning sour during a thunderstorm. A wide range of conditions was addressed by various sympathetic folk-medicine practices that involved Nettles. It is a classic spring cleansing herb and sacred foods such as Nettle pudding, Nettle soup and Nettle beer not only act physically restorative, but also confer protection against disease and are said to attract good fortune for the entire year.

Shamanic Magical Uses: This is the herb of Muspellheim, the burning land, and its power is aggressive defense. Nettle is an aggressive defender, in the sense that it will not only absorb any harmful magic that is thrown at you or the space, it will strike back if you let it.
Due to its difficult nature, it's nearly impossible to handle fresh in ritual, but dried or cooked nettle will lose its sting - physically, anyway. Nettle keeps its rabid-guard-dog energy when burned, or sprinkled dry around an area. You can drink it in tea in preparation for any kind of guardian duty. Sometimes Nettle's aggressive defensiveness will slip over into offensiveness, so it's not a bad herb to use before any duty where you're going to be armed and going into danger.
Because of its association with Muspellheim, Nettle likes being burned, but throwing it into a fire may make the fire burn longer and hotter, perhaps dangerously so. Take care that you have plenty of water around before infusing your little campfire with the power of the Fire World. On the other hand, it can be a symbolic substitute for fire in a place where you aren't allowed to actually light a flame.

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