Medicinal and Magickal Herbalism 101 (Beginner Course)
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:49 pm
This is going to be a long post! I am going to start with medicinal herbs, but first I suggest you reading JBRaven's Herbal Vocab post. This will help with any terms that you don't understand. Mind you, these are all going to be basic herbs, then we'll move on to intermediate herbalism. Unfortunately I can't teach expert herbalism as I am not an expert nor do I have a degree. I am just a Green Witch that has been working with herbs for as long as I can remember. This post will include pictures and ways to prepare the herbs to be used as medicine and to be used in witchcraft. Let us begin with basic herbs. I will alert you guys when I switch to magickal herbalism.
Agrimony-Agrimonia parviflora, Agrimonia Striata
Other Names: Church steeples, Cocklebur, Sticklewort, Philanthropos
Actions: (This is where reading the Herbal Vocab plays a part!) Astringent, tonic, diuretic, vulnery, cholagogue.
Agrimony is not commonly used today, but has its place in traditional herbal medicine. This herb is safe for use for minor ailments in most healthy people. Like most herb simples, the uses to which it is put are remarkably varied. The English use it to make a delicious "spring" or "diet" drink for purifying the blood. It is considered especially useful as a tonic for aiding recovery from winter colds, fevers, and diarrhea. Agrimony contains tannin and a volatile essential oil.
As Agrimony also possesses an astringent action, it is frequently used in alternative medicine as an herbal mouthwash and gargle ingredient, and is applied externally in the form of a lotion to minor sores and ulcers. Agrimony has also been recommended, as a strong decoction, to cure sores, blemishes, and pimples.
Agrimony is called XIAN HE CAO in Chinese herbal medicine and is used to stop bleeding.
Caution: This is an astringent herb, do not use if constipated. Do not use internally during pregnancy without discussing with your obstetrician.
Agrimony-Agrimonia parviflora, Agrimonia Striata
Other Names: Church steeples, Cocklebur, Sticklewort, Philanthropos
Actions: (This is where reading the Herbal Vocab plays a part!) Astringent, tonic, diuretic, vulnery, cholagogue.
Agrimony is not commonly used today, but has its place in traditional herbal medicine. This herb is safe for use for minor ailments in most healthy people. Like most herb simples, the uses to which it is put are remarkably varied. The English use it to make a delicious "spring" or "diet" drink for purifying the blood. It is considered especially useful as a tonic for aiding recovery from winter colds, fevers, and diarrhea. Agrimony contains tannin and a volatile essential oil.
As Agrimony also possesses an astringent action, it is frequently used in alternative medicine as an herbal mouthwash and gargle ingredient, and is applied externally in the form of a lotion to minor sores and ulcers. Agrimony has also been recommended, as a strong decoction, to cure sores, blemishes, and pimples.
Agrimony is called XIAN HE CAO in Chinese herbal medicine and is used to stop bleeding.
Caution: This is an astringent herb, do not use if constipated. Do not use internally during pregnancy without discussing with your obstetrician.