Kimberly Steele

 

Amla (Phyllanthus emblica) - An ancient myth tells of the amla tree sprouting up from the tears of Lord Brahma when he cried during meditation about Almighty Vishnu.  As the first tree on Earth, it is the most beloved.  So blessed by the gods is the amla tree, its fruits can cure the body of ailments and ghosts and evil spirits are said not to trouble houses where amla fruits is kept.  This humble green tree grows in the wild to be about 16 feet tall and its fruits are approximately the size of a marble.  A study from the University of Pakistan showed that ¾ of a teaspoon of powdered amla fruit worked better than the leading anti-diabetes drug in lowering blood sugar.  If you’d like to try amla for yourself, it is available in dozens of affordable forms from Indian grocery stores, including powder, dried and frozen fruits, and many beauty products for hair and skin.
 

Betony (Betonica oficinalis) -The ancient Egyptians attributed magical powers to betony.  Ancient Romans listed it as a cure for 47 different illnesses.  In astrology, betony is attributed to Jupiter in Aries.  In the Middle Ages, betony was planted in churchyards to ward off evil spirits.  Betony is completely non-toxic and can be put into herbal teas or used in amulets.
 

Borage (Borago oficinalis) I Borage, bring always courage was a household rhyme for centuries in European households.  Borage or borago officianalis is a Mediterranean native with fuzzy, somewhat prickly leaves, a sprawling habit, and almost neon-bright blue flowers.  I grow it in my zone 5 Midwestern garden and though it is not a perennial, it somehow re-seeds itself every year, always popping up in a new and different place.  From my experience, it is not at all difficult to grow borage from seeds directly sown in the ground in spring. Borage is attributed to Jupiter in Leo.  Bees absolutely love it.  I dry the blue flowers and add them to sachet amulets.  Some people candy the flowers, which like the rest of the plant have a light cucumber flavor.  Borage tea and poultices are said to be soothing and inflammation-reducing, or at least this is how they were used for centuries in herbal medicine when they were not being used as gentle anti-depressants.  
 

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Chicory, with its lovely blue midsummer flowers, is a common roadside weed.  Chicory was highly valued by ancient herbalists for its tonic effect on the liver, effectiveness as a mild laxative, and use in poultices to treat swelling.  Chicory loves humidity and blooms in the most humid time of summer.  Chicory’s blue flower is said to be the inspiration of the Romantic movement of the 19th century, symbolizing the longing for kinship with the infinite and divine.  Chicory is also said to grant invisibility, but only if harvested during the hour of Jupiter on July 23 with a golden knife while maintaining a strict silence about the working from start to finish.  
 

Clover (Trifolium campestre) Clover is a common ground covering herb in the legume family with white to pink blooms.  It’s the same kind of herb that cows and other animals like to munch on because it is nutritious and can be found almost everywhere.  Clover is a soil improver because it captures nitrogen.  In astrology, clover is mainly attributed to Jupiter, probably because it brings luck and makes any earth it grows upon more fertile for other plants.  I like to take clover blossoms, pick them apart, and leave them on a plate in the sun for a few hours. Later in the evening, I take a heaping teaspoon of them in a tea strainer and immerse them in hot water for about five to seven minutes.  The resulting infusion is sort of like a light matcha without caffeine.  
 

Elecampane (Inula helenium) Elecampane is a plant named after Helen of Troy that was also sacred to the ancient Celts, and said to be the favorite plant of the fairy folk.  The people of medieval Europe candied the spicy roots and ate them as a confection.  Modern gourmets do the same thing.  Placing dried elecampane roots around the home attracts the good fairies, and planting it around your home provides an oasis for fairies.  My favorite way of using the elecampane in my garden is as a companion plant to parsley and calendula, and I make a tincture of the root with vodka for a medicinal elecampane cordial to settle the stomach and improve respiration.  
 

Hosta (Hosta plantaginea) are herbaceous perennial plants, which means they die in the winter and come back from roots in the springtime.  Hostas are native to Japan, Korea, and the Asian side of Russia.  Their leaves range from a narrow two inches across to broad saucers.  In Japan, hosta is known as Urui or wild mountain vegetable.  Most people do not realize this common ornamental plant, frequently found in gardens and yards, is delicious and healthy.  The health benefits and taste are similar to asparagus, which is not surprising as hosta and asparagus share the same plant family. The young springtime shoots of hosta are especially tasty either fried or steamed.  
 

Hyssop (Hyssopus oficionalis) Hyssop is noted for its healing power several times in the Bible, often in conjunction with animal sacrifice as a spiritual cleanser and banisher.  Hyssop is in the mint family and features dainty spikes of purple blooms and a petite leaf that is smaller than peppermint or spearmint.  In western herbal medicine, it has both cooling and warming properties that make it uniquely suited to treating lung problems.  Though some herbalists consider hyssop sacred to Jupiter, herbalist Sajah Popham points out that hyssop’s slender stalks, petite leaves, and purple flowers, as well as its healing influence on the lungs may indicate it is sacred to Mercury, who rules the element of Air.  Personally I grow hyssop strategically near my front door to prevent malevolent beings from the spiritual or physical realm from entering — just as hyssop was used in the Bible to repel evil spirits, it can still be used today for the same function.  
 

Iris (Iris germanica, pallida, florentina, etc.) Irises are sacred to the Moon in Aquarius and are named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow who served as a messenger to the gods.    Irises spread by their roots, also called their rhizomes called orris root.  The main magical use of the sweet root of the iris, also used as a fixative in perfume, is in love magic and to attract mates.  If you want to try some orris root magic for yourself, try wearing a small sachet of chopped or powdered orris root as a pendant or in your pocket when you are around the person you’d like to attract.  Focus on the intention of making yourself sweet, cheerful, strong, and lovable, just like a blooming iris in mid-May.  
 

Lactuca or Wild Lettuce (Lactuca serriola) The lactuca family of plants or wild lettuces are relatives of normal table lettuce.  Ancient Greek’s called them Titan’s blood because of their medicinal properties, which have more than a passing resemblance to opium.  This is video I took myself of a wild lettuce growing outside my house in the upper midwest. Lactucas grow around the world, and every continent outside of Antarctica has some kind of lactuca growing enthusiastically along roadsides and in random fields.  Lactuca is easy to misidentify.  The plant it resembles most is sow thistle or Sonchus oleraceus, which has similar spiny leaves and is also very tall with ugly flowers.  The way you can tell Lactuca from other plants is its characteristic thin spines on the backs of the leaves.  Wild lettuce is the best of non-addictive painkillers.  It can help soothe a headache, get you to sleep, and provides a feeling of well-being and tranquility.   The spirit of this special plant is very kind.  It is both lunar and Saturnian in the best way.   Though you can find a plethora of methods of drying it, boiling it, or brewing it into an opium like tincture or sap, here I am simply taking a few fresh leaves, macerating them, and then brewing them just as you would loose tea, then blending it with some lemon balm.  The resulting tea is very mild and pleasant.  
 

Lemon Balm (Melissa oficinalis) Lemon balm is an herb in the mint family.  It is native to the Mediterranean  and common enough to be mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey.  Astrologically it is attributed to Jupiter in Cancer.  Bees and pollinators in general absolutely love it, and I understand why, because the smell is fresh and lemony.  Apprentice alchemists make their first tincture out of lemon balm.  Nicholas Culpeper said lemon balm “causeth the mind and heart to become merry, and driveth away all troublesome cares and thoughts out of the mind”.  My favorite way of using this Jupiterian herb is drinking a big mug of hot lemon balm tea about an hour or two before I go to bed.  It has a mild sedative effect, inhibits bacteria and viruses, and is very hydrating and soothing, which is probably why it has traditional use in  breaking fevers.

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Milkweed is native to North America.  Its genus plant family name, Asclepias, comes from the Greek myth of Apollo’s son, Asclepias, whose healing power as a physician was so great, he could cure terminal illness.  Many native american tribes used milkweed as medicine, but unfortunately, the relationship with milkweed has mostly been lost and it is not advisable to use milkweed in home remedies.  The reason for this is milkweed is poisonous, and though past generations knew how to process it and use it, we’ve pretty much lost that knowledge.  Milkweed’s milky sap contains toxins called cardiac glycosides that can be toxic or fatal especially in large quantities to dogs, birds, cats, and humans.  Monarch butterflies will only lay their eggs on milkweed because when they ingest milkweed, it makes their bodies poisonous and unappetizing to predators.  In my own case, I grow Asclepias syriaca in my garden so I can provide shelter and food for monarchs and other butterflies.  The scent of milkweed’s purple blooms is heady and rich.  After it blooms, milkweed goes to seed and has large pods that are full of brown seeds attached to little puffballs.  In WWII, the puffy seeds of milkweed were used in lifejackets.  
 

Peppers, hot (Capiscum, Solanacae) Hot peppers are Martial, meaning they are good when you need to fight, whether it is fighting off the latest virus or bacteria or adding a layer of protection via magic.  Jethro Kloss claimed to have cured patients of rheumatoid arthritis using cayenne pepper both internally and externally.  Hot peppers are surprisingly easy on the digestive system and it is often not the hot peppers that upset the stomach but the onions and garlic that are so frequently paired with them.  I tend to use hot chili pepper flakes in red bag amulets and hoodoo baths, and of course I eat my fair share of cayenne in food.  I once grew some Carolina reapers that were too hot to eat but made excellent amulets.  
 

Poppy (Papaver somniferum) The opium poppy or Papaver somniferum has been in cultivation since prehistoric times.  All poppies contain volatile substances called alkaloids that act as pain relievers.  I once heard it said that poppy is not addictive until the moment you overdo the amount of relief for pain.  Poppy seeds of any sort can be brewed as a decoction — a decoction is simply tea that you boil for anywhere up to an hour instead of infuse for a few minutes.  The result is a mild pain-relieving drink.  Iran, Colombia, Laos, Pakistan, India, Mexico, Burma, and Afghanistan are the world’s largest producers of opium, which is collected from poppy flower buds, dried into resin, and then refined into morphine, heroin, and a host of technically legal drugs such as Ocycontin and Vicodin.  Due to the bitter, black resinous seeds, its strong association with death and dying, and its cool earthiness, the opium poppy is attributed to Saturn.  
 

Purslane (Portulaca oleraciea) Purslane is ruled by the Moon.  Also known as low pigweed, it is spreads low on the ground and is considered a menace in warm climates.  But anyone who considers purslane a menace has missed the memo that purslane is not only absolutely delicious, it is a nutritional powerhouse. A mere 4 ounces of purslane — only half a cup!—  contains 559mg of potassium, 39% of the RDA for Vitamin C, 19% of your daily RDA for Magnesium, and 26% of Vitamin A plus omega 3 fatty acids.  Though it can be eaten raw, pickled, or added to soup, my favorite way to eat it is to rinse it, shake it semi-dry, dredge it in chickpea flour and  saute it until crispy on high heat with a tiny amount of olive oil, then add salt to taste.  
 

Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) It’s really hard to wax overly positive about the benefits of stinging nettles. The plant is native to Europe and northern Africa and much like dandelions has also spread all around the world.  Despite their abrasive leaves, nettles are truly nature’s multi remedy.  Stinging nettles contain four times the amount of vitamin C than an equal amount of an orange, an array of B vitamins, calcium, and oddly enough, a hefty does of protein.  Drying, soaking, or cooking deactivates the stinging chemicals and that is why one of the most common ways to use nettles is in soup. Especially when used along with uva ursi and cranberry, stinging nettle is one of the best and least toxic ways of preventing and ameliorating unpleasantness in the bladder and urinary tract, including prostrate and urinary troubles in older men.  Happily, all of the above are available in pill form and are difficult to overdose.  Nettles are attributed both to Mars in Aries, most likely due to their sting, and Thor for their association with lightning.  Old folklore has it that you cannot get struck by lightning in a nettle patch.  An old English manuscript from the 12th century describes a Nine Herb Charm including nettles that is part recipe, part spell and part puzzle.  This strange message from the past attributes the spell to the knowledge of the god Germanic pagan god Woden.  Pollinators and butterflies love nettles despite them not being a particularly pretty plant. Nettle flowers are small, bunched up, and green and look like seeds.
 

Tea (Camellia sinensis) According to Chinese historians, tea was discovered by a Chinese Emperor in 2737 BC when the leaves of Camellia sinensis tree blew into some water his servant was boiling.  Tea was once so heavily taxed in Europe and America, it was smuggled and fought over by cartels.  I believe Camellia sinensis to be sacred to Athena because of the plant’s preferred climate of shady mountainsides and its appeal for bookworms and lovers of knowledge.  My favorite way of using tea is by drinking matcha that I mix up with a bamboo whisk every morning.  I follow the matcha with a pot of black tea, which consists of the leaves of the same plant, C. sinensis, which are aged and no longer green.
 

Uva Ursi (Arctostaphylos uva ursi) Common bearberry is a native of Eurasia that grows in a thick, evergreen mat in sandy, barren soil.  As the name bearberry implies, the berries are a favorite of foraging animals, but in herbal medicine, it is the bearberry leaf that is of special interest.  Bearberry has been used for centuries as a kidney and bladder tonic, which is to say that imbibing it in tea, tincture, or capsule form strengthens the function of the bladder and kidneys.  As we age, few escape bladder problems.  For men, it is often a bad prostate that results in frequent peeing.  Women have the same issue sans prostate — urinary tract infections often turn deadly in hospitals and nursing homes among the elderly.  Basically we can take the approach of putting out fires as we age or preventing them.  Bearberry’s gentle support of the urinary tract without side effects along with other kidney and bladder supporting herbs such as dandelion and cranberry may present an alternative to the traditional allopathic reliance upon antibiotics.  
 

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) As an herb that is sacred to Venus and also completely edible, wood sorrel is yet another superfood magic plant lurking in a sidewalk crack near you.  The entire family of wood sorrels, which look a great deal like clovers but have a heart shaped leaf, is known as Oxalis. The delightful lemon-apple flavor of wood sorrel is tasty and thirst-quenching.  Native Americans used wood sorrel as medicine to alleviate nausea and to cure canker sores and sore throats.  It contains high amounts of Vitamin A and C.  My favorite way of using wood sorrel is simple: though it can be made into poultices, teas, and decoctions, I simply pick it and eat it.  
 

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Yarrow is ruled by Aphrodite or Venus, which may explain why it is associated with loyalty in marriage as well as healing the wounds of war.  Yarrow is native to Europe, but it can grow almost anywhere quite aggressively except for in hot, dry desert climates.  Yarrow contains over 100 biologically active compounds and is known as Bloodwort, woundwort, and sanguinary for its ability to stop bleeding and heal inflammation.  Its association with the soldier Achilles comes from its use as a styptic and to stop bleeding.  To use yarrow, hang bouquets of yarrow leaves and flowers to dry near your bedside for magical protection and to draw the energies of lasting love and fidelity.