A Herbalist Library

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

When you start on any new craft there are always go-to books. Beginner herbalists often find themselves curious about all the different ways to practice herbalism or ways to just dabble. Whether you’re interested in growing medicinal herbs, creating herbal medicine or becoming a herbal practitioner, there’s a book for you! Here are some staples that you can find.

Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar is one of our all-time favorite herbal books. This book gives simple herbal recipes that can be made at home and support your health through all phases of life.

The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook by James Green is one of the best books around for aspiring herbal medicine makers. Whether you’re making tinctures from your garden or creating herbal wines and vinegar in the kitchen, he’s got a recipe for you. This book is more in-depth than most, but he thoroughly explains all the…

View original post 176 more words

Herbalist Library: Historical References

Good Witches Homestead

Our ancestors cultivated a deep, rooted relationship with plants; they harvested plants in a ceremony, made herbal medicines with intention, and passed along traditional plant knowledge to help future generations maintain wellness. In many cultures, this information was shared orally, through stories or an apprenticeship with a local healer. The books we do have on traditional herbal medicines are a treasure to modern day herbalists; they’re a window into our survival as a species and often hold surprising tidbits on how we once used common plants. Below, please find some of our favorite inspirational books from western herbalists that focus on traditional plant remedies, as well as the rich history of herbalism.

A Modern Herbal, Volumes I & II by Sophia Emma Magdalene Grieve are some of the most well respected herbal books of the 20th century. Grieve is thought of as one of the first modern herbalists. During World War…

View original post 268 more words

Herb Lore: (Herbalism)

Good Witches Homestead

Hippocrates – ” Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

For the purpose of this article, herbs are loosely referred to as the category of edible plants which can also be used for Medicinal, Spiritual or Magical purposes.

It seems that on every part of the globe where humans have lived, there has developed a body of herbal knowledge, something which has led to a special relationship developing between herbs and people. The foundation for this relationship is the fact that apart from herbs being acknowledged for their nutritional value, there has been a longstanding recognition that they also possess a variety of curative properties, being amongst the most important tools used by Shamen, Medicine men, Witch doctors, and healers, in general, the world over. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80 percent of the population of some Asian and African countries presently use herbal…

View original post 5,352 more words

Second New Moon of Winter 2018

January 2018 Capricorn New Moon

By Krista Mitchell

Crystal Support for the Capricorn 2018 New Moon

The new moon in Capricorn, sign of ambition, industry and goals, happens this Tuesday January 16th at 9:17pm ET.

What to be aware of for this new moon:

This new moon phase is being described as a “rollercoaster”. With six planets sitting in the sign and the building of eclipse season energy, the next few days could feel tumultuous and overwhelming, potentially giving rise to conflicts and endings in your relationships, friendships, careers, lifestyles, travel plans, and home life.
While this new moon comes at the start of the year, a time when you may feel the need to be proactive in planning and pursuing your goals for the year, the emphasis is on going within, taking care of yourself, and focusing on introspection, contemplation, and meditation until a couple of days after the new moon.
There may be a tendency to act impulsively, feel fatigued, irritable, and argumentative, so the more you can give yourself quiet time, self-care and nourishment, and solitude, the better.
Intuition, insight, and sensitivity will be heightened at this time, and steps taken in the next few days will initiate major shifts in your life that can have very happy and beneficial results IF you work at remaining grounded, rational, and balanced when making decisions.

Overall guidance for this new moon in Capricorn: take these next few days as an opportunity to find quiet time, amp up your self-care routine, connect with your inner wisdom, and invest in your soul journey, and all will work out for the best! 🙂

Pyramids

Winter Blues ~ Healing Crystals

By Tara Mideaker

I never thought that it would happen to me. I watched it happen to others and empathized with the urge to just give in to the cold, dark days that make you want to forego your normal routine. While it is natural to rest during the winter months, it can be a challenge for most of us to give in and let go of our busy schedules. It is very healthy and beneficial to change your routine and “play hooky” from your life every once and a while. But you want that rebellion to come from a place of fun and whimsy and not because your current circumstances are depleting your energy. Here are some ideas to help when you feel overwhelmed and tired of it all.

Charge your water with Green Tourmaline. Green Tourmaline has so much fiery, aggressive, masculine energy that it cannot help but revive your spirit. I keep a bottle of water in my refrigerator with a Green Tourmaline bracelet on it. I drink it in the morning and it fuels my energy for the rest of the day.

Change your light bulbs. I know this sounds goofy but I recently ran out of light bulbs and could only find those that simulate Daylight. It is amazing how they have completely changed the energy in my home. Every room feels brighter and lighter and my crystals love them. Just try one and see if it doesn’t make a difference.

Carry and/or wear Tiger Eye. Powerful Tiger Eye gives you courage and strengthens your willpower. Whether you use Brown, Red, or Blue, it can help you trust yourself and that inner voice that will let you know when to keep going and when to stop. Carry all three with you for a day and see how it feels.

Try something new. There is nothing more exciting than doing something different. Maybe you always wanted to try a dance class or learn how to make jewelry. Now is a great time to go for it and many places offer free trials. You will feel happier doing something that you love.

Surround yourself with Clear Quartz. Clear Quartz chases away any negative energy, increases the positive vibrations and draws in more light. It will brighten everything, including your mood and outlook.

*If you believe that you may be depressed, please seek medical counsel. Crystals are for healing and should be used as a compliment to other therapies and not as a replacement for regular medical care. Please consult your healthcare specialist for your particular needs.

Hawthorn {Crataegus oxyacantha or Crataegus monogyna}

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Also, Known As:

English Hawthorn
Haw
Hawthorn
May
May Blossom
Maybush
May Tree
Quick-set
Shan-cha
Whitethorn

The herb called the hawthorn is one of the best herbal remedies to boost the performance of the heart and the human circulatory system in general. A potent vasodilatory action can be induced in the human body by the flowers, leaves and the berries of the hawthorn. When these parts of the herb are consumed, they open up the arteries to promote circulation and improve the blood supply to all the general tissues in the body. Regular supplementation with this herb can thus help bring some balance blood pressure and it is considered to be an excellent remedy for the treatment of high blood pressure – especially when the condition is connected to hardening in the arteries of the person. Problems such as those connected to poor circulation caused by aging arteries, problems of poor circulation towards the lower body and…

View original post 2,930 more words