Cookbook-Oil and Herb Recipes-Basic Herbalism

47 Pages·2021·0.31 MB·English

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INTRODUCTION TO HERBALISM

Merry Meet Friends,

Welcome to the wonderful world of herbs and their
uses, in the following lessons will give you a basic
knowledge of most aspects of herbalism. As these
lessons are not as in-depth as I would have
preferred to have made them, they will however,
still give you an understanding of just how vast the
world of herbs really is.

These lessons were also designed to motivate the
student who wishes to learn more to research
further.

Only particular herbs will be mentioned in this
course, as there would be far too many to name
each individually, so this course is designed to
accommodate the most popular.

THE LESSONS

Like in the other courses that you have completed
with the Correllian Tradition, these lessons will
contain several sections, which are intended to
compliment each other. These sections will include:

THE LESSON – The main body of each lesson will
be devoted to a single subject. These lessons will
only provide an introduction and a good basic
understanding of these different topics, and we
strongly encourage you to follow them with further
research of your own.

PIONEERS IN HISTORY – Each lesson will also
contain a small feature devoted to History. Which
will include the great people behind the dawning of
specific parts of Herbalism.

GLOSSARY – Every lesson will include a glossary,
to explain words which may be unfamiliar to you.
We are not aware that some of our references are
obscure and may give more information that you at
first think you need.

SPELLWORKS – Each Lesson will include a
spellworking, to help you expand upon your
knowledge, and to help you to integrate the plants
into your spellcasting.

TEST – And finally, each lesson will end with a
Test, which you may complete at your own rate.

The Subject matter of the Herbalism course
includes the following:

0 – Introduction to Herbalism
Lesson - YOU ARE HERE

I – History of Herbs
Lesson - Includes the history of herbs
dating back as far as 2700 B.C
Pioneer - Hippocrates and Theophrastus
Spellwork – Cleansing Ritual Tool

II – Preparations
Lesson - Run down of the most basic
herbal preparations
Pioneer – Mithridates and Dioscorides
Spellwork – Growing Spell

III – Basic Uses
Lesson - The uses of Herbs and some of
their more famous applications
Pioneer – Pliny and Galen
Spellwork - Bath Cleansing (Asperges)

IV – The Herbs
Lesson - List of herbs, including Latin
names, parts used, preparations, actions
and uses.
Pioneer – Avicenna and Hildegard of
Bingen
Spellwork - Imbolc Meditation

V – Herbs in Magic
Lesson - List of herbs and their magical
counterparts.
Pioneer – Paracelus and Pietro Mattioli
Spellwork - Imbolc Ritual

VI – Natural Healing Methods
Lesson – Other Natural healing meathods
with a brief description
Pioneer – Nicholas Culpeper and Carolus
Linnaeus
Spellwork – Solitary New Moon Ritual

VII – Toxic Herbs Part I
Lesson - Toxic herbs, including common
names, Latin names, and descriptions.
Part I
Pioneer – Samuel Hannemann
Spellwork – Tapu’s Healing Spell

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VIII – Toxic Herbs Part II
Lesson - Toxic herbs, including common
names, Latin names, and descriptions.
Part II
Pioneer – Samuel Thomson
Spellwork – Blessing your new Home

IX – Plants and their Planetary Rulers
Lesson – Small list of Plants with their
Zodiacal and Planetary Rulers
Pioneer – Dr.. Frederick Foster Harvey
Quin
Spellwork – Strength Spell

DISCLAIMER: Choosing a holistic approach to
medicine means choosing personal responsibility
for your health care. This course is designed to
offer a doorway through which to enter the realm of
herbal healing, an invitation to further investigation
on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as
a substitute for advice from a health care
practitioner.

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LESSON I - HISTORY OF HERBS.

You may say you know very little about herbs
and their lore, but you actually know more than
you think. Herbs are everywhere in everyone’s
life; from kitchen spices and vegetables, to
coffee and tea, spring flowers and garden
weeds.

Since the beginning in ancient times of India,
China, Egypt, and Assyria dating as far back as the
year 2700 B.C. , and in the struggle to achieve
mastery over the forces of nature, people have
always turned to plants for help - for food - shelter -
clothing - weapons - and healing. Plants provide all
these and something more: an astounding display
of energy in their growth and seasonal rebirth. No
wonder then, that plants have been invested with
magical powers. No wonder that many myths
attribute to plants an intimate relationship with our
daily lives and with our destinies.

Herbs in Papyri:
Surviving Egyptian papyri dating back to around
1700 BC record that many common herbs, such as
garlic and juniper, have been used medicinally for
around 4,000 years. In the days of Ramesses III,
hemp was used for eye problems just as it may be
prescribed for glaucoma today, while poppy
extracts were used to quieten crying children.

The Greek Contribution:
By the time of Hippocrates (468-377 BC), European
herbal tradition had already absorbed ideas from
Assyria and India, with Eastern herbs such as basil
and ginger among the most highly prized, and the
complex theory of humours and essential body
fluids had begun to be formulated.
Hippocrates categorised all foods and herbs by
fundamental quality - hot, cold, dry or damp - and
good health was maintained by keeping them in
balance, as well as taking plenty of exercise and
fresh air.

Pedanius Dioscorides wrote his classic text De
Materia Medica in around 60 AD, and this remained
the standard textbook for 1,500 years. Dioscorides
was reputed to have been either the physician to
Antony and Cleopatra or, more prosaically, an army
surgeon during the reign of the Emperor Nero.
Many of the actions of Dioscorides describes are
familiar today: parsley as a diuretic; fennel to
promote milk flow; white horehound mixed with
honey as an expectorant.

Roman Remedies:
The Greek theories of medicine reached Rome
around 100 BC. As time passed, they bacame more
mechanistic, presenting a view of the body as a
machine to be actively repaired, rather than
following the Hippocratic dictum of allowing most
diseases to cure themselves. Medicine became a
lucrative business with complex, highly priced
herbal remedies.
Opposing this practice was Claudius Galenus (131-
199 AD), who was born in Pergamon in Asia Minor
and was a court physician to the Emperor Marcus
Aurelius. Galen reworked many of the old
Hippocratic ideas and formalised the theories of
humours. His books soon became the standard
medical texts not only of Rome, but also of later
Arab and medieval physicians, and his theories still
survive in Unani medicine today.

Islamic Influences:
The Arab World: With the fall of Tome in the 5th
century, the centre of Classical learning shifted
East and the study of Galenical medicine was
focused in Constantinople and Persia. Galenism
was adopted with enthusiasm by the Arabs, and
merged with both folk beliefs and surviving
Egyptian learning. It was this mixture of herbal
ideas, practice and traditions that was re-imported
into Europe with the invading Arab armies.
Probably the most important work of the time was
the Kitab al Qanun, or Canon of Medicine, by
Avicenna. This was based firmly on Galenical
principles and by the 12th century had been
translated into Latin and imported back into the
West to become on of the leading textbooks in
Western medical schools.

Monastery:
The Christian monks of the sixth century enlarged
the medicinal use of herbs. They became really the
first homeopathic specialists and each monastery
had a special herb garden from which plants were
exchanged and traded between Orders, so
developing and improving the herbs. Some of
today's great medical centres are direct
descendants of these monastery gardens.

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Superstitious Times:
During this superstitious time many herbs were
credited with mystical and magical powers; it was
believed that angelica, bay and garlic would protect
the user against witchcraft, bay had the added
advantage of warding off infection. Caraway and
coriander were used in love potions, while fennel
was held in high regard by the Romans as it
supposedly protected the user against venomous
bites, made him strong, brave and encouraged long
life. As well, there were herbs to guard against
nightmares, some to deter vampires and many
more to keep lovers faithful.

PIONEERS IN HERBS:

This lessons first pioneer Hippocrates (460 – 377
B.C)

Hippocrates may be known today as the father of
medicine, but for centuries pride of place in
medieval Europe was given to Galen, a 2nd century
physician, who wrote extensively about the four
"humours" - blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow
bile - and classified herbs by their essential
qualities: as hot or cold, dry or damp.
These theories were later expanded by 7th century
Arab physicians such as Avicenna, and today
Gelenical theories continue to dominate Unani
medicine, practiced by the Muslim world and India.
Galen's descriptions of herbs as, for example, "hot
in the the third degree" or "cold in the second" were
still being used well into the 18th century.

The
second
great
pioneer
is
the
great
Theophrastus: (c. 371- c.287 BC)

The first scientific botanist known to history was the
Greek philospher Theophrastus. Extending to
plants a classification scheme that was developed
by his teacher Aristotle, Theophrastus wrote two
works, Growth of Plants and Inquiry Into Plants,
which covered some 550 plants from Europe to
India. These works were the first to classiffy plants
by form and structure, and prefigure the Linnaean
system used today. Theophrastus was also a first-
rate observer: his description of germinating seeds,
for example, was long unsurpassed. Yet he also
transmitted fantasies that were to haunt science for
generations, such as the idea that plants were put
on earth solely for people's use, a notion implicit in
the doctrine of signatures. As to his reason for
mixing myth with fact, Theophrastus wrote:
"Fabulous tales are not made up without reason."

SPELLWORK:

Bay and Willow Water

3 tbsp dried Willow or 6 tbsp fresh Willow
2 tbsp dried or fresh Bay leaves
4 cups water
2 strips of dried Orange rind
10 drops of Witch Hazel extract
First start by clearing and releasing all excess
energy. (you can vary the ritual according to your
own preferences and tradition)

Focus on all ingredients cleansing each item
separately to purify any negativity which they may
have.

Then take three deep breaths, eliminating the last
of the negativity that you may have picked up –
then you are ready to combine ingredients – go
ahead and do so with love and peace in your heart.

Now combine all ingredients in a small glass or
enamelled pan. Bring water JUST to a simmer and
shut heat. Add herbs and steep for 20 mins. *This
process can be repeated using the same water add
more herbs for a stronger infusion. Add the orange
zests while mixture is still warm. * Cool to room
temperature, then strain out the herbs and then add
the drops of Witch Hazel extract.

Refrigerate between uses. You can use any flower
or herb of your choice, depending on your needs in
ritual work or personal preferences.

You can use this water to cleanse your Altar and
other ritual tools, you have learnt about them, and
of how to cleanse them in the previous courses
that you have completed. These waters can be
used as accompliments to crystal work as well. It is
also a great combination for FLOORWASHES too.

On a more personal note, you can put liquid in a
bottle with a lid and dab on with cotton, or put it in a
spray bottle and spray on your face and body.
This rinse will remove any traces of soap on your
face, and leave your face fresh and smooth.

Other variations that I prefer are Vanilla and Linden,
and Rose Geranium and Orange.

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LESSON II – HERBAL PREPARATIONS

Herbs can be used in quite a number of
different ways. Depending upon the users wish,
they can be used to treat an ailment or problem,
depending upon the individual who is applying
the healing or even by whom is receiving the
treatment, all of which depends upon what
application is used. They can also be used for
spellcasting and ritual magick. In this lesson
you will discover a little bit more about the
different applications of various herbs
preparations.

Water Infusions - Hot: When plant material is
infused in water, after about 3-5 minutes, the water
becomes a fragrantly scented and pleasantly
refreshing drink known as 'tea'. However, tea is
more than just an enjoyable means of quenching
thirst. Our bodies are 90% water and we have an
intimate affinity with this element.

Water Infusions - Cold: Place the herbs in cold
water and soak for 8-12 hours having the best
result if left overnight, the strain and slightly warm
before drinking.

Tinctures: In a tincture the properties of the herbs
are extracted and preserved in alcohol. In ancient
times this was accomplished using wines, (as is
where
the
"mulled
wines"
originated
from!)
Tinctures can be made with fresh or dried herbs.
Tinctures can also be made "non-alcoholic" by
adding the adequate ratio of water to the tincture
mix and leaving the mixture uncovered for several
hours while the alcohol evaporates, useful for those
people that are unable to take alcohol.

Poultices: Poultices are herbal compresses that are
very handy for skin problems and even muscular
and bone ailments. They are made by steaming the
herbs over water, but not touching the water. Cover
and steam for a few minutes, just so that the herbs
"wilt". And by spreading the softened herbs on a
cloth and place on the affected area. Cover the
"compress" with a woolen cloth and leave on for
approximately 2 hours.

Decoctions: A decoction is an extract of herbs
produced by boiling the herb in water. This method
is used for hard seeds, roots and barks, which need
much longer than just a few minutes to infuse. I
prefer to use this technique, because there is
something mystical, and very healing about this

medium. Although decoctions are prepared by
prolonged simmering, they still contain the essential
qualities of the fresh herbs

Fomentation: Is just a towel or cloth soaked in an
herbal infusion or decoction, with the excess wrung
out and then applied as hot as possible (without
burning) to the affected area.

Powder: Dried and ground plant matter. Take with
water, soup, milk, sprinkled on food etc. The most
common dosage is that which can be picked up on
the tip of a dinner knife (about half a teaspoon).

Syrup: Raw or brown sugar is boiled with water until
it reaches a ‘honey’ consistency. Strain through
cheesecloth, and the medicinal ingredients and
administer. This is very good for encouraging small
children to take their medicine.

Extract – Liquid herbal extracts are generally
concentrated herbal liquids which are made in
alcohol/water mixtures and are undoubtedly the
best and most convenient herbal administrations.
Saturation time is much longer than herbal
tinctures, but the principle is basically the same.

Essence: Approximately 28 grams of the herbs’ oil
is dissolved in 600 mls of alcohol. This is an
excellent way to preserve volatile essential oils
which are not water soluble.

PIONEERS IN HERBS:

This lessons first pioneer is the great Mithridates:
(died 63 BC)

A special place in the history of medicinal plants
belongs to Mithridates VI, King of Pontus. Because
he is said to have made himself immune to
poisoning by taking progressively larger doses of
poison, his name lives on in the term mithridatism,
'acquired tolerance of a poison.' Facing inevitable
capture by Roman enemies, he reputedly tried in
vain to poison himself and had to get a slave to
stab him to death. Accounts written after his death
portray
Mithridates
as
a
diligent
biological
investigator who knew 22 languages and studied
medicine as well. An antidote called the mithridate
bore his name in mediaeval pharmacology.
Mithridates' physician Crateus was also well known
during ancient times for his lifelike botanical
paintings, now thought to have been the basis for
illustrations in Dioscorides' De Materia Medica.

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And the second pioneer is Dioscorides: (1st century
AD)

The most influential pharmaceutical writer from
ancient times was the Greek physician Doiscrides,
born near Tarsus (in modern Turkey) probably
shortly after the time of Christ. Little is known about
Doiscrides' personal life, other than that he may
have served as a doctor with the Roman army. His
pharmaceutical guide, De Materia Medica, deals
with more than 600 plants, 35 animal products and
90 minerals used in medicine. Illustrated
manuscripts of the De Materia Medica circulated
during the next 1600 years throughout the West
and Middle East. One of its earliest print editions
was published by that great Renaissance botanist-
naturalist Pietro Mattioli in Venice in 1544. The
Mattioli edition is generally considered to be a
cornerstone of modern botany. A great many of the
scientific and everyday plant name we use today
can be traced back to Dioscorides.

SPELLWORK:

Growing Spell

With some simple adaptations, this spell can work
well for any kind of familial abundance.

When you work the spell, have everything
assembled that you need.
(Water, salt, a green candle, a square of fabric,
string, incense and charm
herbs, incense charcoal, edible seeds, bowls,
Cakes & Wine, etc.) Read
through the spell, so you understand all of it, but
don't try to memorise it.

Cast your circle, or otherwise set up your sacred
space as you usually do. While
within your sacred space, light the green candle.

Visualizing your desire, blend these 9 herbs for
your charm (leaving some
aside to burn as incense)
1: Rose petals
2: Sage
3: Grape
4: Horsetail
5: Hawthorne
6: Mustard Seed
7: Poppy seeds
8: Jasmine
9: Cinnamon (or any other herb that you associate
with your lineage)

The order in which you blend them isn't important,
nor is the quantity, as
long as there is some of each. (For a simpler
formula, you may use 5 herbs:
Rose, Sage, Mustard Seed, Poppy Seed, and
Cinnamon (or other herb of your
choosing).

Put some of the mixture on your charcoal to burn,
and put some in the center
of your square of fabric. (Any leftover blend may be
used for incense later)

Tie your string loosely (for now) to make a pouch.
Hold the pouch in your
writing hand and say the following, to the
appropriate direction:

Face North
I vow to help myself Grow.
I vow to help my husband* Grow.
I vow to help my family Grow.

Face East
I vow to help myself Learn.
I vow to help my husband Learn.
I vow to help my family Learn.

Face South
I vow to keep myself Healthy.
I vow to help keep my husband Healthy.
I vow to help keep my family Healthy.

Face West
I vow to love myself.
I vow to love my Husband.
I vow to love my Family.
Oh Guardians of the Quarters, I Thank you.
Oh Goddess, I Thank you.

Tie the string tightly around the charm, using four
knots.

Blend the three seeds (Carrot, poppy & sunflower)
together. Eat a bit now,
and (if possible) keep them on or near your altar to
eat some of them each
day.

(For a simpler spell, use one seed - either the
poppy or sunflower.)

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Have Cakes & Wine (a bit of food and drink, which
need not be alcoholic)

Open your circle, (or perform comparable act) then
you must ground and eat something more - a meal,
a sandwich, something with some substance.

Live happily and with abundance!

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LESSON III –BASIC HERBAL USES

Herbs are used for many applications, ranging from
culinary delights, aromatic aires, and magical
incantations through to medicinal and remedial
therapies.

In this particular lesson you will see, a brief
description of some varieties of applications
that herbs and their properties are used for.

Herbs have been around since time began, people
used them for many reasons; for food, aroma,
medicine and magic. People from all walks of life
still use them today, for various reasons and
providing your own personal knowledge, they can
bring a wealth of harmony into your life.

Culinary Herbs: Herbs used for their flavouring
abilities in foods.

Aromatic Herbs: Herbs used for the pleasantry of
their smell and the fragrance of aire.

Medicinal Herbs: Herbs which possess and herbs
that have healing properties.

Remedial Herbs: Herbs that possess the remedy
for a specific disease or deficiency.

Magical Herbs: Herbs used for spells, invocations,
incantations, and protection.

Always remembering, if you are unsure of
specific herbs it is best to either consult a
professional, or leave well enough alone.

AROMATHERAPY

Aromatherapy is a multifaceted healing art, which
uses the essential oils of plant and trees to promote
health of body and serenity of mind. Although the
roots of this beautiful therapy are ancient, I have set
out to prove that the basic principles on which
aromatherapy is based are no less valid today.

Aromatic plants have been used by humankind
since the dawn of history. There is evidence that
over some 4,000 years ago, the Ancient Sumarians
made use of the scented herbs such as cypress
and myrrh, while in the 1870's George Ebers
discovered a 21 metre scroll of papyrus that listed
over 850 Ancient Egyptian botancial remedies,
dating from about 1500 BC.

Ancient Greek Physicians such as Hippocrates and
Galen interpreted the microcosm of the human
being according to the Elements of Fire, Water,
Earth, and Air, while the masters of the Chinese
tradition saw five elements at work. In either case,
they employed a rich and varied language of Nature
- not to describe their observations as fixed
phenomena, but like the physicists of today, to use
these concepts to expose the dynamic force that
masquerades as matter.

Aromatherapy also has a few intriguing diversions,
such as the art of natural perfumery, the making of
cosmetic lotions and potions, and an exploration of
sensual aromatherapy - for those wishing to
enhance their love life through the alchemy of
fragrance and the magic of touch.

Practices such as these were the beginnings of a
tradition that embraced not one but several
civilizations, and developed hand-in-hand with
systems of science and medicine that were based
on both empirical knowledge and informed intuition.
By applying traditional wisdom to aromatherapy, we
can avail ourselves of a corpus of knowledge that is
both immediate and profound, practical and
intuitive. And through contributing to the synthesis
of East and West, we can expand our awareness
both of the human spirit and the plant essence.

AYURVEDIC MEDICINE

Ayurveda is India's contribution to humanity in its
search for health care, well being and longevity.
This wonderful treatise on human health is
considered as the 'fifth Veda' narrated directly by
God to great Rishis of the ancient past. It mellowed
with the evolution of Indian civilisation tracing its
origin to "Adharva Veda' the oldest work of
Philosophy and science in the history of mankind.

And where, almost all medicines are of plant origin,
they do not have any side effects. It flourished at a
time when all the science branches, we now
practice, were in its rudiments. Physicians the world
over, now consider Ayurveda as a system of
treatment embedded in nature that couples
medication and recognised lifestyle. In the modern
era, where most of the diseases result from
mutations in life styles, we have started to look
back into this ancient wisdom, which advocates a
therapy that has its roots in nature.

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Ayurveda has withstood the test of time, for over
four millenniums by propagation as smrithi and
sruthi (through oral education and discussion ) and
mananam (meditation).
Most of the reference texts that are in use today
were recorded after 1000 B.C. It can be seen that
Principles of Ayurveda are retained intact and the
medicinal formulations in the reference texts are
narrated as examples of this treatment theory for
individual diseases

BACH REMEDIES

Between the years of 1930 and 1936, Dr. Edward
Bach, discovered and perfected a system of herbal
medicine which is unique in medical history. This
system was the culmination of a lifetime of inspired
research, which gave the medical profession a
great many new and revolutionary discoveries.

Dr. Bach believed that the basic cause of all
disease was an emotional disharmony resulting
from conflict within the personality. The 38
remedies which he discovered, were for the
treatment of this disharmony, and each remedy was
specific for a particular emotional condition, such as
fear, anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc. The
remedies were prepared mainly from natural
wildflowers, using fresh water and the power of the
sun to produce an essence, which was taken
internally by the patient.

Dr. Bach died in 1936, immediately after completing
his system. His followers have carried on the work
he started, and the 38 remedies, known as the
"Bach Flower Remedies", still prepared by the
same natural method, are available in Australia
today.

Dr. Edward Bach found, by experience, that most
human disease had their basis in disharmony
between the spiritual and mental aspects of a
human being.

This disharmony - to be found wherever conflicting
moods produced unhappiness, mental torture, fear
or lassitude and resignation - lowered the body'
vitality and allowed disease to be present. For this
reason the remedies he prepared were for the
treatment of the mood and temperament of the
patient, not for his physical illness; so that each
patient, becoming more himself, could increase his

or her own vitality and so draw from an inward
strength and an inward peace the means to restore
health.

The most recognised of all Bach Flower Remedies
is the "multi-useful" Rescue Remedy. Below, you
will see what Dr. Bach himself said about his
Rescue Remedy. The Rescue Remedy is a
combination of 5 remedies. The five remedies are:

Rock Rose: for terror, extreme fear, panic, either in
the patient or in those around.

Star of Bethlehem: for the after-effects of shock,
mental or physical.

Clematis: for unconsciousness, coma, fainting,
giddiness, all of which indicate a temporary lack of
interest in the present.

Cherry Plum: for the fear of the mind giving way, of
insanity, brain-storms, hysterical conditions, suicidal
tendencies.

Impatiens: for the extreme mental tension and
irritability resulting in muscular tension and, hence
pain.

CHINESE MEDICINE:

Traditional Chinese medicine has a very long
history. According to legend, Chinese medicines
originated from Shen Nong's tasting of hundreds of
herbs and medicinal materials. As the legend
relates, Shen Nong gathered wild foodstuffs for
cultivation and then selected those with medicinal
value from among them for the treatment of
diseases. At least half of the 365 medicines listed in
"Shen Nong's Herbal Classic" possess both
medicinal and food value; while the 260 items listed
in "The Dietetic Materia Medica", written centuries
later by Meng Shen of the Tang Dynasty include
nearly all of the types of food that people require
daily, such as rice and other cereals, melons and
gourds, fruits, game and edible wild vegetables,
meat, poultry and eggs, fish, shrimp and other
seafood, etc. Later still, more than 300 kinds of
foodstuffs were recorded in the "Compendium of
Materia Medica" written by Li Shizhen of the Ming
Dynasty. All of these works point to the common
sources of medicines and foods, and to the fact that
the same things have long been used as both foods
and medicines.

10

HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy is a fascinating form of holistic healing
and lends to the principle of “like can sure like” –
that is, an illness should be treated by a substance
capable of producing similar symptoms to those
being suffered by the patient – is the basis of
Homeopathy.

The very small doses of Homeopathic medicine act
as a catalyst to stimulate the body’s natural dealing
ability, similar to the way vaccinations work, by
causing a reaction in the body’s defence processes.

Homeopathy Concentrates on the powerful healing
forces of herbs, mineral and other natural
substances, that may be beneficial to many
common ailments, providing temporary relief of
many symptoms through strengthening of the
body’s own natural ability to attain homeostasis.

PIONEERS IN HERBS:

This lesson is the well-known Pliny: (23/24 - 79 AD)

"To live is to be awake" was the credo of the
Roman administrator and natural historian Pliny.
His work, Natural History, written in 37 books, was
a major source both for botanists and herbalists
from mediaeval times through to the seventeenth
century. Books 12 to 19 of the Natural History deal
with botany, and books 20 to 27 with plant
pharmacology.
Pliny
and
the
Greek
doctor
Dioscorides, his contemporary, have been cited by
writers on plants down to the present century.
Generations of authors passed along Pliny's words
without attributing them to him - so that many of his
statements of fact and fancy have entered the
folklore of plants. Pliny died in a manner that was
befitting a true naturalist: he went to investigate an
eruption of Vesuvius, and on al beach near Pompeii
he succumbed to the volcanoe's sulphurous fumes.
A vivd account of this scene exists in a letter written
by Pliny's nephew, who is called Pliny the Younger
to distinguish him from his uncle, who is sometimes
known as Pliny the Elder.

And the great Galen: (130 - 200 AD)
The most famous physician of his day and a prolific
medical writer, Galen found his intellectual
inspiration in Greek thought, particularly the
medicine of Hippocrates, the science of

Aristotle and the philosophy of Plato. Born in
Pergamum
(now
Bergama,
Turkey),
Galen
determined when he was only 16 years old to bring
precision to the study of medicine. He studied and
travelled for the next 12 years, spending probably
several years at Alexandria, which was then the
chief medical centre of the age. There Galen
quickly outdistanced even the brightest scholars
with his intellectual ability. After returning to
Pergamum and serving as a physician to the
gladiators there, Galen moved to Rome, about 161,
where he established a large medical practice. He
soon numbered influential Romans among his
admiring patients and thus began his long
association with the rich and powerful, including
Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Although Galen taught
the now antiquated concept of medicine as
adjusting the body's humours, he also believed in
the empirical method of testing medicines, at that
time a very modern stance. Not until the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries did anyone challenge
his medical authority. The terms 'galenic products'
and 'galenicals' today refer to medical substances
extracted from plants by methods associated with
Galen.

SPELLWORK:

Bath Cleansing (Asperges)

You will need:
Water
Herbs of Choice
Sea Salt
Water Vessel
This ritual is used for the same reasons as
smudging.

To complete this ritual of cleansing, you need:
water, herbs of your choice, and salts (sea salt or a
mixture are typical choices), as well as a vessel to
hold the mixture, size depending on what you
intend to cleanse (bathtub for yourself, bowl for
crystals or totems, etc.).

For yourself:
Fill a bathtub with comfortably warm water. Mix in
the herbs and salts. Bathe in the water, washing it
over every part of your body. Concentrate on areas
of inbalance or places in need of healing. When
finished, stay in the bathtub until it drains, negative
energies flowing away with the bath water.