The Way of Herbs revisited...Flowers as Medicine

[Guest guest]

The Way of Herbs revisited...Flowers as Medicine

 

 

Dr. Michael Tierra L.AC., O.M.D.

--

 

Herbal medicine is a humble art. I like to think that herbs are in

our path as a symbol of the abiding love of the Great Spirit for all

creatures. All the long hours and years we study enable us as priest

or priestess of nature to administer these sacraments of loving

compassion to others.

 

Most of us who feel the attraction to the green have developed a

profound appreciation for the wondrous essence of creative diversity

of the plant kingdom and nowhere is this more evident than in the

diversity of flowers which surround and grace our lives. Everyone

gives or receives a bouquet in a spirit of joyous devotion,

thanksgiving, forgiveness all of is healing of the spirit.

 

For most, the presence of flowers such as roses, peonies,

chrysanthemums, lilies, irises and calendulas for instance

represents an aesthetic uplifting of spirit. Just as a casual walk

along a wayside path to one who has no knowledge of the healing

properties of weeds means nothing in terms of the recognition of

their healing virtues to either the ground upon which they spring

nor for any ill that may befall the traveler, so also a bouquet of

flowers may simply remain as an object of pure aesthetic delight to

the beholder.

 

Imagine instead of simply placing such a bouquet in a vase of water

until its treasure wilts a dies, we envision another purpose such as

using organic red rose petals as a tea with honey for someone

experiencing sadness or depression, violet flower and honey tea for

one who feels tense and irritated or has a cough or sore throat,

calendula flower tea for a woman experiencing premenstrual

discomfort or a tea of fresh or dried marigold flowers to treat

symptoms of a colds, coughs or diarrhea, branches of flower decked

honeysuckle vines taken as a tea for influenza, arthritis or

rheumatic complaints. Could this be yet another of the profound

gifts to ease our sometimes troubled path from the Great Spirit's

natural bounty? Throughout Central and South America native people

have an ancient healing custom that imparts a whole new dimension to

the meaning of a bouquet of flowers. Imagine, if you will, picking

or even purchasing a special bouquet of flowers whose assortment

represents not only aesthetic beauty but a variety of physical

healing benefits as well. Instead of presenting these to your loved

one merely to be exhibited in a vase of water, offer them as a

personally administered flower bath given with special words of

praise, blessing and prayers.

 

Because our skin is not simply a boundary, but acts truly as a

filter of outside influences both physical and subtle, the healing

properties of plants are selectively absorbed through the skin

membrane to impart their magic to our very core. Some of my most

successful treatments have been in the form of herbal foot, hand or

whole body baths for such conditions ranging from colds, flus,

fevers, skin diseases, inflammations, arthritic complaints, traumas,

cramps and spasms to emotional and neurological imbalances such as

depression and insomnia. There is no question, therefore, of the

healing potential of such a Flower Bath especially when personally

administered with affirmative devotion and love.

 

I experienced my first Flower Bath given by a local medicine woman

in a the depths of Peruvian Amazon jungle, bordering one of the

thousands of tributaries of the Amazon river. The experience was

nothing short of sublime. Clothed in nothing more than my bathing

trunks, I was seated on a stool in a natural enclosure in the

jungle. A three or four gallon container filled with diverse

Amazonian healing flowers had been set out to infuse with pure water

to commingle and absorb the essence of flowers and healing moonlight

rays of the previous night. The blessed infusion was administered

before noon, the woman gently pouring the flower bath in cupfuls,

complete with all its petals, over the top of my head accompanied

with soft prayers and blessings. The entire ritual took

approximately 15 minutes. I then stepped out into the embracing

warmth of the beautiful jungle habitat and allowing only the gentle

warmth and surrounding air to evaporate the fluid on my body.

Throughout the day, I would find small petals falling off my hair or

some other bodily part in sweet remembrance of my morning flower

bath.

 

How did it feel? Gently empowering, uplifting, soothing, nurturing

to body and spirit are some of the words and phrases that come to

mind. I wondered about the tons of flowers, hybridized, hothouse and

force-grown with sprays and inorganic nutrients in the west, flowers

whose outer beauty of form nevertheless lacked inner substance,

betrayed by a lack of characteristic scented essence. No these would

not do for a proper flower bath. For this special occasion, more

must be asked of the giver, that the flowers be organically grown,

free of pesticides and artificial nutrients, that this would

necessitate a special relationship with the earth and environment ---

yes, this is what gives them the degree of positivity necessary for

a flower bath! That they might be specially selected and picked,

even with intention and purpose, perhaps with a special prayer of

thanksgiving that would further ennoble the picker and giver. Far

from quickly and conveniently placing an order by telephone or

computer for flowers to be delivered with a short message – usually

at a high price, no, this would have to be personally given as a

flower bath blessing as a token giving of oneself.

 

In order to prepare our flower bath, lets backtrack for a moment to

the moments when our ancestors and we personally became aware of the

healing power of herbs. To do this, we need to consider deeply the

profound and humble meaning of the simple wayside plants and herbs

that surround us and how their very existence is bound up in

providing the basis of food for all creatures as well as in their

ability to assuage the many diseases and injuries that may befall us

on our path. How forgiving they seem, despite the ignorant rudeness

many of us display in our efforts to exterminate some of them as

weeds, they persist beyond all our tilling and poisonous sprays, the

dandelions for our angry livers, the plantains for our injuries, the

malvas and mulleins for our sore throat and respiratory complaints

and so on and so forth down through the ages the weeds keep coming

to remind us of their mission of healing not only for our physical

body but to bring up deep nutrients and minerals from the subsoil

and to provide precious composted organic material to enrich the

earth.

 

Not all medicinal plants have their origin as a weed however. I can

imagine that a long time ago, when our ancestors began to till the

soil to selectively cultivate certain plants for food, some of those

that might otherwise be deemed as useless weeds, attracted the

special attention of certain household members who would transplant

them aside for either medicinal or purely ornamental purposes.

Today, as I can hear the ringing of the angry chain saws outside my

back door, cutting down a beautiful stand of virgin redwoods being

harvested for temporary profit by a neighbor, destroying centuries

of growth in a forest that is already barely existent, I can imagine

running out to transplant precious forest plants, the wild gingers,

the ferns, petasites, horsetails and the noble aralias that are an

extended and valuable part of the whole forest ecology, perhaps

along the way to pick up a nest of birdlings to raise in hopes of

their survival from the devastation and blight that is being wreaked

upon their surroundings – upon all of our surroundings.

 

As a result, certain plants, otherwise deemed useless were taken

away from the jaws of the plow to be selectively cultivated and

passed down through generations until today we have a whole group of

these, many with powerful healing virtues, under the guise of

ornamentals. Following is a partial list of ornamental flowers that

are used as medicinal herbs:

 

A little deeper, and we may perceive another level as we become

aware of the actual psycho-physical healing properties of even our

most common garden flowers.

 

Calendula (C. officinalis) ---- can be taken internally to promote

blood circulation, treat surface diseases such as colds and fevers

as well as relieve menstrual cramps. Externally it can be made into

an oil or salve for burns and injuries.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) ---- The berries are poisonous,

however, the blossoms have antiviral and antibiotic properties,

effective for all inflammatory conditions, sore throat, arthritis,

for which the stems and leaves are also used. Dose is 15 to 30 grams

daily.

Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) --- the root is a antispasmodic, blood

tonic and circulatory stimulant, treats gynecological diseases.

Gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides) --- in certain climates the

flowers will evolve to a fruiting stage and are used to promote

blood circulation, open the liver and detoxify the blood.

Rose (Rosa species) --- the petals are cooling, blood circulating

and anti-depressive.

St Johnswort (Hypericum perfoliatum) --- is used to treat depression

and nerve pains.

Morning Glory (Ipomea jalapa) --- the root is a powerful cathartic.

Yellow Jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens) --- Also known as gelsemium,

the aerial portion must be prescribed in regulated dosage to quiet

and calm the nerves.

Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) --- induces sleep, calms the

nerves.

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) --- used as a diuretic for urinary

tract infections

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum linaria) --- nervine

Violet (Viola odorata) --- cooling, fevers, demulcent, anticancer,

made into an expectorant syrup for lung and bronchial irritation.

Blue flag (Iris versicolor) --- cholagogue, cathartic, emetic,

alterative, diuretic.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) --- Evening primrose oil is used as an

anti-inflammatory.

Rosy Periwinkle (Vinca rosea) --- used as a treat for cancer,

especially leukemia and Hodgkin's disease, the flowers are calming

nervine.

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) --- the stems are brewed into a tea and

taken for the treatment arthritic and rheumatic complaints.

Aster (Aster tartaricus) --- Warming expectorant, relieves cough,

expels phlegm.

Tiger lily (Lilium tigrinum) --- the bulbs are demulcent, used to

calm the mind and treat insomnia.

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) --- used like carnation.

Pansy (Viola tricolor) --- Pectoral, mucilage, antitumor, aperient,

nervine.

Larkspur (Delphinium species) --- internally it is poisonous,

externally it is used as an oil for parasites such as lice.

Bellis perennis --- A type of low growing daisy that is commonly in

lawns and pastures. The flower heads are rich in saponins. It is an

expectorant and detoxifying remedy for all liver complaints. It is

also useful for boils.

Begonia (B. fimbristipulata) --- The aerial portions are used as an

alterative, to clear heat, eliminate toxins, promote blood

circulation, treat coughing of blood, and externally applied for

trauma, burns, pain and toxic sores.

Scabiosa (Knautia arvensis) --- It is rich in tannins and it

contains a bitter compound. It has been used for centuries for

dermatitis.

Cyclamen

Viburnum (V. Opulus) --- The berries are poisonous. The bark is used

as a uterine sedative for painful menstruation and to prevent

miscarriage.

* Lotus

Water Lily

Aconite

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) --- Used as a bitter tonic,

diaphoretic, carminative and antispasmodic. It can be used for a

wide range of conditions including externally for hemorrhage,

menstrual cramps, colds, fevers and for anorexia and dyspepsia.

Saffron

Nigella (N. sativa) --- contains a saponoside, melanthine, a bitter

compound, nigelline; an essential oil from which nigellone is

extracted and tannin. The seeds have been used as a spice since

early times and possess carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue and

antihelminthic (kills worms) properties. The seeds can be used as a

pepper substitute.

Hibiscus (H. sabdariffa) --- A sour tonic, widely used throughout

the Middle East and warm climates as a treatment for inflammatory

diseases and fevers.

Chrysanthemum morifolium --- It think of this as Chinese chamomile.

It one of the best beverages to drink in hot summer weather. It has

all the headache relieving virtues of feverfew without the more

pronounced bitterness. It is used for fevers, headaches, eye

inflammations, and hypertension.

Fritillary (F. Cirrhosa) --- Clears heat and transforms phlegm. It

is used bronchial and lung inflammation accompanied by coughs.

Foxglove (Digitalis species) --- The leaves contain several

glycosides including digitalin, digitoxine and gitoxine. Even though

an extract from the plant, digitalis, is used for heart disease,

depending on the climate, soil conditions, time of harvest and

method of drying and preparing it where the concentration of the

toxic principle is so varied. It is no longer used in herbal

medicine but is a magnificent garden flower.

Impatiens noli-tengere --- Internally it is emetic and diuretic.

Externally it is useful for skin funguses, relief of itch,

dermatitis and eczema.

Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa also R. Elata) --- Used as a blood

nourishing tonic and kidney-adrenal tonic. The roots are specially

prepared by mashing them together and soaking them in rice wine

several times (9) to release their potency.

 

How to be an herbalist? Surround yourself with a community of family

and friends and become the good friend, the healer, the bestower of

compassion and grace of the Great Spirit and nature. Give them herbs

and the knowledge of healing, as much as they have time to receive.

Share with them knowledge of massage, acupuncture, moxabustion,

simple spinal adjustments. These all once came from the people and

so therefore belong to all of us as our inherited birthright. It is

always a danger to over-invest our care and healing in a hierarchy

whether it be sacred (such as shamans), or profane (the professional

medical practitioner). Share with others the high arts of music,

literature, painting, sculpture and handmade crafts, lest these be

forgotten and lost in an age dispassionate technology. These are the

healing of the spirit.

 

Today my gardener came to me early in the morning. I was still in my

pajamas. He was sick, fever, sore throat, swollen glands, could not

sleep all night and was worried that he would not be able to attend

to his jobs of yard maintenance for a local church and a part time

gardener for me.

 

He felt he needed me, and suddenly I was infused with a reason for

being alive that morning. It was an honor to invite him in, lay him

down on a blanket in front of my meditation altar and place some

simply acupuncture needles in points, I knew would be effective for

such a condition, and then walk out into my garden, in the crisp

early morning, to pick handfuls of lemon balm, honeysuckle blossoms,

echinacea leaves, Chinese Bo He mint, mullein and coltsfoot.

Previously I was playing a beautiful prelude in C sharp minor op. 45

by Chopin, a piece that is the quintessence of healing compassion,

so my heart was full and my spirit was ready to heal.

 

As I walked outside to pick herbs for Abel, I remembered that this

was what did when I first began my work as an herbalist so many

years ago (it seems like only a blink of an eye) and here is where I

am again today. How much I enjoy this healing and being with herbs,

people and nature and what an honor it is to be an herbalist.

 

I thought to myself, what is different between my walk this morning

and any number of similar walks I used to take in search of special

healing plants over 25 plus years ago for members of the community I

lived with then? First, I noticed how much more confident I was in

the result. Yes, I knew more and felt a 100% more confident and this

in turn allowed me to project with greater reliability a favorable

outcome for my friend from my efforts this morning --- and how

important that is for healing. Secondly, I had exhaustively studied

many traditional systems of medicine, especially traditional Chinese

herbal medicine. Besides picking the more familiar lemon balm,

coltsfoot and mullein, I found myself picking honeysuckle flowers

for their antibacterial and antiviral properties. These happened to

be abundantly growing off the deck adjoining my bedroom. Aha! I said

as I considered whether his condition was excess, deficient,

internal, external, cold or hot ---- so this is the meaning of

Planetary Herbalism. I had more plants available to me that I may

not have considered or known before. I also had more ways to

understand their properties and the individual needs of Abel. I took

the herbs into the kitchen where I had ¾'s of a quart of water

boiling on the stove. Without even so much as rinsing them off (they

still had the morning dew on them), I placed them in pan of rolling

boiling water. Of course, I did not have to measure them out, like

my Native American teachers, I literally stuffed the pan full to

extract the liquid green healing goodness of the herbs. Again, my

Planetary Herbalism kicked in as I reached into a drawer to find

some dried licorice root that I felt would add more body and

substance (nourishing tonic) to the brew.

 

I poured Abel a cup of tea and had him sit and drink it and then

gave him the remainders in a jar to take home for later. Before he

left, I then took him outside and showed him the herbs that I picked

and told him that he was welcome to help himself to any, as he or

his family has need.

 

Do not feel guilty if because of over long hours of serious study,

or personal troubles and concerns, you are unable to maintain the

outer appearance of love and compassion. Only ourselves and the

Great Spirit know what is in our hearts and how beautiful it truly

is. Many who have an outer appearance of love are insincere while

those who seem grumpy and curt are the true lovers. It is not the

form but the deeds and accomplishments that stand as a testimony of

love

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest