Most of the time I am a magical herbalist, selecting plants for their symbolic meanings and fashioning spell bags, herb bundles for burning, and protective charms. It’s powerful work, and yet it can leave me disconnected from the herbs themselves, since their use is largely symbolic. Sometimes I want to roll up my sleeves, select some herbs for their utility, and craft something that is both magical and practical.
It’s a Virgo thing, no doubt, and my ever so pragmatic father, also a Virgo, instilled in me the love of practical things, and also a love of herbs. It was he who insisted that our family enjoy a ‘spring tonic’ of tender dandelions when they first emerged from the earth. We nibbled the stems of rhubarb, ever so tart and mouth-puckering, to support our digestion. There were other things I can’t remember fully. Something with the combination of beets and carrots, raw and finely grated, as a winter salad. I don’t know how he knew all this; he just did.
I’ve had the recipe book pictured above for a while now and joyfully make Mediterranean Garden Lotion Bars to get me through the dry end of winter. I mostly look at the other recipes, unsure how to make them. While the book theoretically stands alone, it’s more confident when backed up by the 200-odd pages of the course. How and why form a firm base with what.
I seem more willing to wear my herbs than to eat them. We will see how this goes.
Disclaimer: these anecdotes are for amusement only. I am not a medical professional and do not give medical advice or provide treatment. Herbs can have side effects, interact with your medications, and have adverse effects on pregnant or lactating people. Discuss the risks with your healthcare provider.
Tales from the jolly bungalow 