Blog Party: Your Morning Cuppa

This months blog party is a fun and unusual one in which all these amazing herb folk will explore and share with us their favorite morning beverages and ritual drinks, ranging from the morning cup of joe, to herbal creations and anything in between, it is sure to be a feast worth waking up for!! Hosted by Tansy at Dancing in a field of tansy

Most mornings I fix myself a nice cup of really fine chinese tea. I'm lucky to live within walking distance to Seven Cups Tea House in Tucson, AZ. There I purchase the finest imported chinese and some japanese teas I've ever tasted, smokey puer tea, to bright floral jasmine pearls, to chinese herbal combinations like Eight Treasures Tea. My favorites though are the oolongs, which land somewhere between green and black in flavor, but have a depth and capacity for unique flavors that I just love. My favorite of late has been the Golden Water Turtle Oolong. Here's the description from Seven Cups.

"This medium roasted tea has a strong dark chocolate aroma but sweet floral aftertaste and flavor that never goes bitter. Compared to other medium roasted tea, which have a heavy concentrated taste, Shui Jin Gui gives you a clean slippery feeling that allows you to appreciate the character of this bush. A story tells of exceptional tea bushes cultivated by monks living high on the slopes of WuYi Shan. A torrential storm washed a few of these cliff-dwelling bushes down onto another farmer's land. The monks wanted the bushes back but the farmer refused. The local court decided in favor of the farmer claiming natural forces had favored him. The bushes grow on two square meters with a constant stream of water following through resembling a turtle thus the name "Water Turtle" was given to these bushes. Although there are still three original bushes remaining, no tea is picked because of the age of the bushes. All Shui Jin Gui was cultivated from these original bushes."

My other favorite cup of tea for morning wake up in a simple green gen maicha, with toasted brown rice. Simple, delicious and suits me perfectly, it never needs sweetening and that toasty flavor lends a heartiness and warmth that green tea alone doesn't quite manage.

But on the days when a cup of tea doesn't cut it, I mean those mornings when I have to be up and at work at 5 am long before the sun is up, I resort to something slightly more stimulating, and more creative!

My famous ChocaMacaMateLatte!

The variations on this are endless, and I come up with something new almost every time I make some, but the the basics are thus:

1 qt jar

2-3 tbsp mate leaves (how strong do you like the flavor and the buzz?)

1 tbsp maca powder

1-2 tbsp Cocoa powder

Milk, cream or non dairy milk of choice. I use almond most often, but coconut is extra creamy and yummy.

Honey to your taste.

Mix all the ingredients, and pour hot boiled water over the whole mess, top with your milk of choice. Stir well, and grab a bombilla and a lid and go!

Clearly this is a buzz buzz buzz of a drink, with two sources of caffiene, mateine, theobromine and numerous other stimulating alkaloids, but the maca powder really smooths out that buzz, makes it last much longer, evens out the plateau, and helps prevent a caffiene crash. I never feel jittery from this combination, but your mileage may vary. More or less mate, milk, or maca may influence your experience, and I definately vary the proportions depending on my morning.

Often times I'll turn this into something of a chai latte with the addition of cardamom, ( which an ayurvedic practitioner once told me protects the adrenals from the caffiene), cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and clove. Or some extra cocoa and some chile powder. Sometimes I throw in some tulsi leaves, or some orange peels. Sometimes I even drop a scoop of coconut oil into the jar for extra goodness.

I definately don't reccomend this as a regular every day drink, but it is yummilicious and works better for me than coffee when I need some even and long lasting energy without the jitters!

Plant Spirit Medicine Workshops

Please join me for an evening exploring the world of the plant spirits. Learn about communicating with and understanding the messages and guidance the plants have for us, and using the plants as spiritual healing allies. We will use various techniques to guide us into the ways of the plant spirits, including drum journey, plant essences, sensory experience, and plant oracles. No experience necessary, this circle is open to all, regardless of experience with plants, herbalism or shamanism. We will explore and experience the plants together. We will delve deeply in how to approach and use plant spirit medicine as a healing tool for yourself and loved ones, including how to prepare plant essences, work with plant spirits in journey work, medicine bags, oracles and more.

This workshop is offered by Spirit Guided Donation.

Oct 23 2009 @ 6:30pm

Nov 5 2009 @6:30 pm

Offered at the Healing Cave @

The Institute for the Shamanic Arts

Woman Kraft Art Center
388 S. Stone Ave
Tucson, AZ 85701

Blog Party: Bioregional Allies for Influenza: Butterfly Weed

Blog Party: See all the amazing entries at www.methowvalleyherbs.blogspot.com

One of my favorite wildflowers that is widespread across much of the country, in patches, and grows quite well in the southwestern Sky Island mountains is Butterfly Weed, or Pleurisy Root (Asclepias tuberose). Not strictly limited to the Southwest, and certainly a very commonly cultivated plant, I choose it as one of my prime allies for influenza.

Influenza is primarily a respiratory illness, and

beautiful Butterfly Weed, is a versatile and complicated plant which has a strong affinity for the respiratory tract. Known in herbal circles more commonly as Pleurisy Root, this plant from the Milkweed family was often used for exactly that, Pleurisy, a very painful, acute inflam

mation of the pleural lining of the lungs, in which there can be fluid build-up between the pleura and lungs. Pleurisy usually occurs from an acute infection like influenza, pneumonia, or in autoimmune conditions with widespread inflammation. Pleurisy aside, Butterfly Weed (the name I prefer to call it by) is definitely a good choice in any respiratory condition with inflammation and dampness, including influenza.

Butterfly Weed, in the Asclepidaceae family, is named for Asclepias, the Greek god of healing. Its virtues are many and diverse, and thus was well respected throughout history as a healing medicine plant. Butterfly Weed is one of few plants in the milkweed family that doesn’t have a milky white sap and is a primary food source for Monarch butterflies. It can be very locally abundant in the right environment, but it is less com

mon than one might suspect, and due to this fact, and its ecological importance, one must wild craft this healer with care. Here in the Southwestern mountains I find it in the regions of transition between oak/juniper woodlands to ponderosa pine forest, often growing among the rocky banks of dry arroyos. Its brilliant orange flowers in early summer are a tell tale giveaway to its identity and location, but is otherwise a non-descript green plant easy to overlook.

Butterfly weed is relaxant, stimulant, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, lymphatic tonic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and emetic. One of the finest relaxing diaphoretics in our western materia medica, I usually turn to Butterfly Weed when my other favorite relaxing diaphoretic, Elder flower hasn’t been as effective as hoped. It is specific to feverish conditions where the skin is hot and dry, and the individual is tense, and experiencing inflammation, pain and fluid congestion in the respiratory tract. It relaxes tension in the tissues of the skin, mucous membranes (think respiratory, digestive and urinary systems), and allows fluid balance and movement to be restored. It will readily produce a sweat in those hot, dry and tense feverish folks, dilate the bronchials, ease expectoration of mucus, and ease pain and inflammation. This can be especially helpful in influenza which is characterized by hyper immune response resulting in inflammatory cytokine storm, with fluid build up. I also fin

d it to be extremely useful in those feverish cases when the person really needs to relax and sleep, Butterfly weed eases those individuals into a relaxed state where sleep will come easier and they will get the rest they need to recover.

Butterfly weed is most effective when given as a warm tea, 1 tsp of root per cup, taken 2-3 times per day. Though I find administering smaller portions 2-3 tablespoons or a few swallows at a time, over the course of 30 min to an hour can be quite effective as well, and far more tolerable to most folks, as the taste of butterfly weed is hard to swallow. A tincture of the fresh root is also an effective medicine, and I like to administer it as such: 2-3 droppers of tincture in hot water, sipped slowly over 30 min to an hour.

Butterfly weed can be very useful in bringing down a high fever to a healthy level, by opening pores and stimulating circulation to the surface of the skin and away from the core. I like to put the feverish person in a tepid bath ( 98 degrees F) as they sip their tea. I’ve seen a fever nearing 104.5 F respond quickly to this combination of herb and hydrotherapy, and return to a healthy 102 F.

William Cook informs us that the effects of Butterfly weed are slow to take effect but are lasting, but the usefulness is enhanced when given with another circulatory stimulant which is quicker acting, like ginger. In the interest of bioregionalism, I’d likely combine it with Monarda (Bee Balm), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) or even Osha (Liguisticum porteri) depending on the case and the person.

“The chief employment of this agent is in febrile and inflammatory affections, where the

perspiration needs to be decidedly promoted, and excitement of the heart relieved by a full outward determination of blood. It secures a slow, steady, and free perspiration, at the same time suitably diminishing excessive heat of the surface; which action renders it highly serviceable in typhus, scarlet, bilious, puerperal, lung, rheumatic, and other forms of fever, with a hot skin and rigid pulse. Measles and catarrhal fever may be added especially to this list; and so great is its service in pleurisy, that pleurisy root is one of the most popular of its names among the people. In acute dysentery, with fever and tormina, it secures that free circulation to the surface which affords great relief to the bowels; and in the acute stages of inflammation of the womb, bladder, and kidneys, it is of equal advantage. In all these cases its use is followed by not only an increased perspiration and softening of the pulse; but the action of the kidneys becomes better, the mucous surfaces act more firmly and naturally, and the nervous system obtains a soothing impression that is very desirable.” William Cook

This is just the tip of the root of this amazing and versatile plant, and I plan to write more in depth on it in the future, but its application in influenza can’t be faulted. Stay well!

Upcoming Herbal Events & Conferences

United Plant Savers Conference, Tucson, AZ

Please save the date Oct 17, 2009 for the unique oppurtunity to learn from the herbalists and plants of the Southwest in Tucson, AZ. Register now for this all day event, with speakers, vendors, herb walks and more! I'll be there and leading a walk on Saturday afternoon, be sure not to miss it! I look forward to seeing you all there!

Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference, Ghost Ranch, NM Sept 17-19, 2010

This amazing conference is being organized by Kiva Rose at the Anima Center, and will be a truly unique conference for herbalists, healers and plant people. Focusing on rooted connection the the plants and the land, and truly hands-on and grass roots work with the plants and people. A number of amazing speakers, presenters, teachers and healers will be there. Please help to spread the word and register for this wonderful new event for herbalists all over.

The Celtic Tree Ogham : an experiential and non-traditional online intensive.

I'm posting this in the interest of drumming up more interest. This class needs more participants to happen and I REALLY want to take it. Interested, please sign up! E mail contact below!

Thanks,

Darcey

Starting on 1st October 2009 for 8 weeks.

The Celtic Tree Ogham is one of the lesser known forms of divination. This ancient Celtic alphabet has some parity with the runes, ie an alphabet for which each letter also has magical significance and meaning. In this case the divinatory meaning is derived from observation of the ecological, practical as well as magical properties of twenty trees native to the British Isles, e.g. Birch, Rowan, Alder, Willow and Ash.

Interest in the Celtic Tree Ogham is beginning to grow and has expanded outwards from the British Isles, extending into countries such as the USA where many of the Celtic trees are not native to the land. Where the traditional Celtic trees are found, they frequently occupy different ecological, practical and magical niches.

In this workshop we will work on learning skills and tools to develop and build energetic connections to the trees of the Celtic Ogham, along with using other resources and research to learn about the ecology of the trees. We will learn how to translate these energies into understanding the trees that are part of our native ecosystems whether you live in mountains or the desert or even in the British Isles (!); and work towards building a personal tree ogham system that is relevant to your own land, and which may be more or less based on the traditional Celtic tree ogham system.

We will work with trees as our allies and as our teachers learning to listen to them and hearing what offerings we can make to them for their assistance in our work. We will learn some of the basic practical skills required to begin making your own ogham set if you desire.

Homework will be set by each Monday evening, I ask each participant to commit to checking in about the week’s work by the following Saturday evening so that I have time to read and respond before the next week’s work.

You will need to commit to spending time outside in nature where there are trees - whatever or wherever this means in your local area - for your workings each week. This is not an option for doing the course!

You will need a journal and writing materials – I would suggest purchasing a new journal for this work, so that your notes are not caught up in the midst of other writings - or it would be appropriate to use loose pages in a binder. You will need to be able to access research materials, whether online or offline, on trees, their ecology, practical and magical uses, as well as their use in art and literature. You may want or desire art supplies or a camera if this is one way that you like to work.

You do not need to own an ogham set for this course, though if you have one please keep it to hand.

Price sliding scale $80-$100 - please decide where on the sliding scale you are. For booking details or more information, please contact Raven at greenwomancrafts@gmail.com

Registration by 30th September.

Raven Edgewalker is a British Witch who has been teaching in the Reclaiming tradition for over ten years. She loves to travel and has taught classes and Witchcamps in the UK, Germany, US, Finland and Israel. She has an on going love affair with trees, ecology and the natural world and the magic of building connections. The Celtic Tree Ogham is her favored divination tool, and she has spent many years listening to its trees, studying it and working with it. Raven is a self-employed artist and crafts-person (yes – she makes ogham sets!), jack-of-all-trades, a poet, writer and recovering academic

Teleseminar with two herbalists!

I'm posting the annoucement here for all those who would like to take part in a free teleseminar on herbs hosted by two wonderful healers.


Teleseminar with Sean Donahue and Iris Weaver Aug 26 7 pm EST

Spiritual herbalist, educator, healer, and professional speaker, Iris Weaver has invited me to be the guest for her first monthly teleseminar this Wednesday. Iris writes:

I am really excited to be having my first monthly teleseminar on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. My guest will be Sean Donahue, Herbalist, poet, and ritual technician.

Sean has an amazing rapport with plants, and I am so happy to be able to talk with him about plants, healing, and lots more.

I will also be introducing my friend plant Ox-eye Daisy, a truly wonderful flower.

So please join me on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. The number to call is 218-339-3600. When you dial the number you will be prompted to enter your pin code: 1082063#.

If you should have any questions you would like answered on air, please e-mail your questions to me at rootsheal@juno.com