herbs

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The Herbal Encyclopedia

 

Gathering, Storing, and Using

your Herbs

 

GATHERING: When gathering or harvesting your

herbs, first be absolutely sure you know what you are

gathering! This is very important when gathering

plants from the wild. Be absolutely certain you know

what the plant is before you attempt to use it. If you

are not sure of a particular plant, or it " looks like "

something but could be something else, leave it alone.

You would be better off to purchase the herb through

a store or mail order. The alternative may leave you

dead. If you care about our natural plants, you will

prefer to purchase or grow what you need. Today's

herbal needs are creating quite a strain on the

numbers of medicinal plants in the wild.

 

Know what part of the plant you need. Some plants

are used in their entirety, others only specific parts.

When you are gathering plants from the wild,

remember not to take all of a particular species you

may find in an area. Leave some to grow and seed

and flourish for the next time you need them.

Removing all of a group of plants is rude, and the

Goddess would not be pleased. Give thanks to the

plants you take for your uses. Sprinkle around some of

their seeds, to help them propogate. Give them an

offering, i.e. some natural fertilizer, a prayer, etc. in

return for your uses. When taking leaves or branches

of a plant, leave plenty for the plant to survive. You

should offer the same respect to those plants you

gather from your own gardens. Be kind to the Mother

and all She has to offer, and She will reward you for

your efforts.

 

The parts of the plant above ground should be

harvested in the morning, before the heat of the sun

has a chance to wilt them. It is preferable to do so

when the dew is still on the plants. Leaves should be

harvested before the buds and blooms appear, and

flowers should be harvested before the fruits and

seeds appear. Bark and roots should be harvested in

the early spring, just as the plant is beginning to show

its leaf buds, or in the fall, just as the leaves are

turning. Don't strip bark from around a tree trunk, as

this will kill it. Instead, strip bark from small patches,

or particular limbs, to preserve the mother plant for

later use, and to preserve its life.

 

When using an entire plant, it is customary to hang

the plant upside down in a dry area free from pests to

allow the plant to dry. Make sure your herbs have

dried thoroughly before storing them for further use,

or you may discover that you have a moldy mess

instead of a medicinal herb. Roots should be carefully

washed, scraped, and chopped into small pieces to be

sure they dry uniformly and thoroughly. Bulbs are tied

together and strung up to dry.

 

The dried portions can then be stored according to

your needs. Roots are usually ground into powder for

use, or left in small chunks for uses in decoctions,

tinctures, and syrups. Leaves are stored in their

entirety, or crumbled for use in teas. The same applies

for blossoms. Store your herbs in air-tight containers.

The best containers to use are colored glass. The herb

then does not pick up impurities from plastics, and

does not eat through your plastics, as can happen.

Store in a dry, cool area, and keep out of the light.

This is the reason for using colored glass. Light can

often break down the healing properties of your

gathered herbs, shortening their shelf life and

rendering them nearly useless after a short period of

time. If stored properly, the shelf life of dried herbs is

approximately one year. Tinctures can be stored for

up to two years. Capsules should be used within one

year. Once an herb has been ground, it shortens the

amount of time the herb is effective. So do pay

careful attention to when you have purchased or

stored an herb, for maximum effectiveness.

 

When you use one of your herbs, whether for healing,

cooking, or for magick, you should once again give

thanks to the Mother for Her bounty.

 

Teas

 

The herbs that will be used for herbal teas are

generally the cut and sifted form, or the crumbled

dried leaves and/or flowers. Herbs should always be

prepared in nonmetallic containers. Steep the herbs in

a nonmetallic container with water that has just been

brought to a boil. This is an infusion, and is used for

the more delicate herbs to prevent destroying their

healing agents.

 

A decoction is used to extract the healing agents from

herbs that are roots and barks. The herbs are

simmered in a nonmetallic cooking container for

about one hour. Simmer uncovered until the amount

of water is reduced by one half. Those herbs that

contain important volatile oils should be simmered in

a tightly covered pot.

 

Don't add table sugar to herbal teas. If a sweetener is

needed, use pure, unmolested honey for its nutritional

benefits, or use stevia.

 

Bolus

 

A bolus is a suppository. It is made by combining

powdered herbs with cocoa butter. The two are mixed

together until it is the consistency of stiff pie dough.

It is then refrigerated to harden and preserve. Allow

to come to room temperature before use. Roll into

strips and cut into pieces about one inch long. Boluses

are inserted into the rectum for treating hemorrhoids,

and into the vagina for treating vaginal infections

and irritations, as well as tumors. Boluses are used at

night. The cocoa butter will of course melt with your

body heat, so take precautions to protect clothing and

bedding. Residues of the bolus should be rinsed away

the next morning.

 

Oils

 

Oil extracts are made from fresh herbs that contain

volatile oils used for healing. Fresh herbs are

necessary for the extraction of the oils. The fresh

herbs are crushed with a mortar and pestle. Olive or

sesame oil is then added, at the ratio of one pint of oil

for every two ounces of herbs. The mixture is allowed

to stand in a warm place, out of direct light, for three

days. The oils are stored in dark, glass containers.

After the three days, add one capsule of Vitamin E to

each bottle for preserving the extracted oils. This is

another process that is best done on the new moon.

 

Syrups

 

Syrups are used for treating coughs and sore throats,

and make it easy to give herbs to children. Two

ounces of herb are added to a quart of water in a

nonmetallic container, and boiled down slowly and

gently until about a pint of liquid is left. Strain while

it is still warm, and add two ounces of honey and/or

glycerine. Lemon oil or juice can also be added for

flavor. Store in a dark glass container.

 

Capsules

 

Capsules are the best way to take herbs that do not

taste good. They are also the best way to take herbs

that need to be ingested over a long period of time, or

for those of us who don't have time at work to make

herbal teas. It is best to purchase finely powdered

herbs for this purpose. The small " 0 " sized capsules

are used, or the larger " 00 " . The powdered herbs are

blended together, if an herbal combination is desired.

Then separate the two halves of the capsule, and fill

each half. Then carefully put the two halves back

together. Take according to the needs of the

treatment.

 

Tinctures

 

Tinctures are easy to make, and a very convenient

way to make use of the healing herbs in today's fast

society. They are made with the more potent herbs

that are generally not taken as herbal teas.

 

Tinctures are made by combining 1 to 4 ounces of a

powdered or thoroughly crushed herb with one pint of

alcohol. The alcohol most often used is vodka. The

amount of liquid should be more than the herbs can

absorb, so you may need to add more as the days go

by. It is shaken daily and allowed to stand in a warm

place, out of direct light, for two weeks. The liquid is

poured through a cloth, such as layers of cheesecloth.

The herbs that remain are squeezed thoroughly to

remove as much of the liquid from them as possible.

Keep the tincture stored in a dark glass bottle or jar.

Tinctures are used by the drop. Don't be afraid of the

alcohol content - if you want to be sure the alcohol

won't affect you, or you are a recovering alcoholic,

drop the recommended number of tincture drops into

a cup of hot water, wait a few moments, and then

drink. The alcohol will evaporate. Tinctures can be

made of single herbs, or herbal combinations,

depending upon your needs. It is traditional magick to

begin your tinctures on the night of the new moon,

and strain on the full moon, so that the waxing

powers of the moon extract the maximum amount of

healing agents from the herbs.

 

Creams

 

Creams are used to treat skin conditions of all kinds.

They can be made by melting petroleum jelly and

adding the herbs, although that is rather messy. A

better method is to boil approximately 1 cup of the

herb(s) to be used in 3 to 4 cups of water, in a

non-metallic container, for about 15 minutes for leafy

herbs and 30 minutes for root herbs to extract the

volatile oils. You can then strain the herbs out, or

leave them in if you so desire, depending on the

cream you are making. Add 5 ounces of sesame or

olive oil to the water remaining and continue to

simmer over low heat until all of the water has

evaporated. Melt 2 ounces of beeswax, and stir into

the oil mixture. TIP: try to have the wax and the oil

near the same temp, and stir like crazy! After the

mixture cools a bit, add 2 teaspoons of Vitamin E oil

as a preservative, and mix it in well. Pour into

containers and allow to cool completely. Most creams

will keep for up to one year.

 

 

 

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Herbs and Menopause

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