Roots...
either the strong tendrils plants extend into the soil for stability and nourishment; or an origin or beginning, such as ancestral roots.
Either way, I think of trees.
They have strong roots to hold their tall majesties upright and feed their growth.
They can also be Man-generations old and have many children growing around them, generated from their seeds.
Trees are necessary to life - they provide shelter from sun and storm; their leaves filter pollutants out of our air; the branches and trunks provide homes for birds and insects as well as wood for fires used for cooking and warmth; and the whole plant produces food for many.
Many of our tall brethren also provide medicine via the chemicals found in their inner bark and leaves.
There are so many species of trees I only have room to touch on a few of them: Probably the best-known use of a tree for medicine is salicylic acid, a compound from the bark of the white willow, Salix alba.
Although this compound wasn't isolated until 1828, use of the powdered inner bark for easing aches & pains and reducing fevers goes back to Hippocrates in the 5th century.
A more recent discovery for the use of salicylic acid is to treat acne and dandruff.
It works by causing the cells of the epidermis to shed more quickly and allowing for new cell growth.
The bark is very drying due to the high tannin content.
White willow bark is very bitter so if you want to ingest it, I suggest a tincture or extract rather than a tea.
For an external wash (or if you really want to drink it), make a decoction of willow bark: 1 teaspoon dried bark in 1½ cups cold water.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer until your liquid is reduced by 1/3, or down to one cup.
Strain before use.
You can also dilute your tincture or extract one part to ten parts water to use as a wash.
White oak bark Quercus alba has many of the same properties as white willow.
Because of the high tannin content it is very useful for diarrhea.
A douche of the bark will dry up hemorrhoids quickly.
Its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties make it a good gargle for problems in the throat including laryngitis and tonsillitis.
Historically in both Europe and North America, acorns were made into a bread-like food for sustenance.
(They're rather bitter but if you're hungry.
) Balsam Abies spp.
, Cedar Cedrus spp.
, as well as Pine Pinus spp.
(all members of the Pine family) have long been used in the treatment of colds, probably due to the aromatic properties of the leaves (the needles).
Either a tea made of the leaves or a massage oil made of diluted essential oil will quickly break up chest congestion.
The latest and greatest news is a patented product called Pycnogenol®.
It is a water extract of the inner bark of the French Maritime pine tree Pinus pinaster spp.
atlantica.
Although the scientific jury is still out, research says it shows promise in treating a wide variety of conditions from asthma to venous leg ulcers.
I know of one medical doctor who takes it for his arthritis because it is said to be anti-inflammatory.
Its claim of being an antioxidant has lead to it being an ingredient in many skin care products to reduce the signs of ageing.
Magically, trees are some of our best allies.
Historical sources tell us that the Druids met in groves of trees.
I've read of no specific reason but I suspect it's because not only of the privacy of a secluded grove but because of the energies trees lend to any magical working.
One of my best "magical friends" is a very large maple (probably about 50 years old) in our back yard.
Sitting at his base with my back up against his trunk is a great place for meditation or just to calm me when things haven't gone the way I wanted.
As far as I can tell, virtually any tree will lend strength to protection spells.
Many have uses in love, fertility and longevity spells as well.
It is said that planting an acorn during the dark of the Moon will ensure you will get money in the near future.
Wands made from tree branches focus power during a magical working.
They are also said to add power so a wand made of rowan, for example, would increase a protection spell.
Along the same lines, two twigs of rowan tied in a cross with red thread is an ages-old protective amulet, carried by both Cornish peasants and Scottish Highlanders.
The same properties apply to oak wands and amulets.
Maple wands are favored for virtually any spell.
Any of the leaves (needles) of the Pine family burnt as incense will purify an area and drive out negativity.
The same leaves can be used in purification and healing baths.
To harvest the inner bark of a tree for medicinal purposes, scrape a small portion of bark from the south-facing side of the tree in either the Spring or Fall when the sap is running and the tree is "moist", facilitating the peeling of the inner bark from the outer.
If you try this during Summer or Winter, you'll find yourself chipping away at the tough outer bark.
Don't take too much from any one tree - to them it's the equivalent of scraping your belly really deep.
Taking only a small amount also negates the need for a bark sealer.
The tree will heal the scrape on its own.
Separate and dry the bark thoroughly before use (this can take a month or more depending on your climate).
The method of obtaining a branch for a wand is really a personal preference.
Some like to ask the tree's permission and then cut a particular branch from a live tree.
Others (me included) wait for a tree to drop a branch, looking at that as the tree's gift.
If you have a favorite tree or need a wand of a particular wood, try asking the tree to drop a branch suitable for a wand.
I'm willing to bet that if your request is reasonable to the tree, within a couple of weeks (especially after a storm) you'll find the perfect branch lying on the ground very close to that tree.
Arbor Day was April 30th this year.
However, you can celebrate it anytime by planting a tree of your choice anywhere (even in a pot on your deck), nurture it and gain a new friend! Contents copyright (c) 2010 Deborah J.
Martin
either the strong tendrils plants extend into the soil for stability and nourishment; or an origin or beginning, such as ancestral roots.
Either way, I think of trees.
They have strong roots to hold their tall majesties upright and feed their growth.
They can also be Man-generations old and have many children growing around them, generated from their seeds.
Trees are necessary to life - they provide shelter from sun and storm; their leaves filter pollutants out of our air; the branches and trunks provide homes for birds and insects as well as wood for fires used for cooking and warmth; and the whole plant produces food for many.
Many of our tall brethren also provide medicine via the chemicals found in their inner bark and leaves.
There are so many species of trees I only have room to touch on a few of them: Probably the best-known use of a tree for medicine is salicylic acid, a compound from the bark of the white willow, Salix alba.
Although this compound wasn't isolated until 1828, use of the powdered inner bark for easing aches & pains and reducing fevers goes back to Hippocrates in the 5th century.
A more recent discovery for the use of salicylic acid is to treat acne and dandruff.
It works by causing the cells of the epidermis to shed more quickly and allowing for new cell growth.
The bark is very drying due to the high tannin content.
White willow bark is very bitter so if you want to ingest it, I suggest a tincture or extract rather than a tea.
For an external wash (or if you really want to drink it), make a decoction of willow bark: 1 teaspoon dried bark in 1½ cups cold water.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer until your liquid is reduced by 1/3, or down to one cup.
Strain before use.
You can also dilute your tincture or extract one part to ten parts water to use as a wash.
White oak bark Quercus alba has many of the same properties as white willow.
Because of the high tannin content it is very useful for diarrhea.
A douche of the bark will dry up hemorrhoids quickly.
Its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties make it a good gargle for problems in the throat including laryngitis and tonsillitis.
Historically in both Europe and North America, acorns were made into a bread-like food for sustenance.
(They're rather bitter but if you're hungry.
) Balsam Abies spp.
, Cedar Cedrus spp.
, as well as Pine Pinus spp.
(all members of the Pine family) have long been used in the treatment of colds, probably due to the aromatic properties of the leaves (the needles).
Either a tea made of the leaves or a massage oil made of diluted essential oil will quickly break up chest congestion.
The latest and greatest news is a patented product called Pycnogenol®.
It is a water extract of the inner bark of the French Maritime pine tree Pinus pinaster spp.
atlantica.
Although the scientific jury is still out, research says it shows promise in treating a wide variety of conditions from asthma to venous leg ulcers.
I know of one medical doctor who takes it for his arthritis because it is said to be anti-inflammatory.
Its claim of being an antioxidant has lead to it being an ingredient in many skin care products to reduce the signs of ageing.
Magically, trees are some of our best allies.
Historical sources tell us that the Druids met in groves of trees.
I've read of no specific reason but I suspect it's because not only of the privacy of a secluded grove but because of the energies trees lend to any magical working.
One of my best "magical friends" is a very large maple (probably about 50 years old) in our back yard.
Sitting at his base with my back up against his trunk is a great place for meditation or just to calm me when things haven't gone the way I wanted.
As far as I can tell, virtually any tree will lend strength to protection spells.
Many have uses in love, fertility and longevity spells as well.
It is said that planting an acorn during the dark of the Moon will ensure you will get money in the near future.
Wands made from tree branches focus power during a magical working.
They are also said to add power so a wand made of rowan, for example, would increase a protection spell.
Along the same lines, two twigs of rowan tied in a cross with red thread is an ages-old protective amulet, carried by both Cornish peasants and Scottish Highlanders.
The same properties apply to oak wands and amulets.
Maple wands are favored for virtually any spell.
Any of the leaves (needles) of the Pine family burnt as incense will purify an area and drive out negativity.
The same leaves can be used in purification and healing baths.
To harvest the inner bark of a tree for medicinal purposes, scrape a small portion of bark from the south-facing side of the tree in either the Spring or Fall when the sap is running and the tree is "moist", facilitating the peeling of the inner bark from the outer.
If you try this during Summer or Winter, you'll find yourself chipping away at the tough outer bark.
Don't take too much from any one tree - to them it's the equivalent of scraping your belly really deep.
Taking only a small amount also negates the need for a bark sealer.
The tree will heal the scrape on its own.
Separate and dry the bark thoroughly before use (this can take a month or more depending on your climate).
The method of obtaining a branch for a wand is really a personal preference.
Some like to ask the tree's permission and then cut a particular branch from a live tree.
Others (me included) wait for a tree to drop a branch, looking at that as the tree's gift.
If you have a favorite tree or need a wand of a particular wood, try asking the tree to drop a branch suitable for a wand.
I'm willing to bet that if your request is reasonable to the tree, within a couple of weeks (especially after a storm) you'll find the perfect branch lying on the ground very close to that tree.
Arbor Day was April 30th this year.
However, you can celebrate it anytime by planting a tree of your choice anywhere (even in a pot on your deck), nurture it and gain a new friend! Contents copyright (c) 2010 Deborah J.
Martin
Source...