Tartans—a brief look
Sapphire Soleil for the Grove of Two Coasts
May 2, 2013

 

When I was nine, we went to Europe on sabbatical.  Since we were living in Manchester, England, it was easy to hop up to Scotland for a long weekend.  Scotland is grey and wet and wild in the early spring and reminded me very much of home. The hills and mountains were similar to Northern Idaho.  One thing that was not at all like Idaho was the sight of handsome (or not) men of all ages wearing a skirt.  My parents were quick to tell me, this was not a skirt, this was a kilt and it was the national dress of Scotland.  I’d never been to a place that had a national dress and instantly wished Idaho had one as cool as the Scots.

While the kilt, with its many pleats, sporran, and lovely little pin, was wonderful and I wanted one (and I got one, a female kilt shirt in the dress Gordon tartan) it was the variety of tartans that was most fascinating.  As I have “ne’r” a drop of Scottish blood in me, I have adopted the Gordon clan as my own since it was the tartan I liked best.  Since then I have discovered I am slightly connected to the Gunn clan through my Grandmother’s family name of Nelson.  It is a nice tartan too, so it works for me! (See below)

A tartan, to be considered a tartan, is a pattern of cloth in multi-colors that is crisscrossed into horizontal and vertical patterns called setts.   The patterns can be quite simple, such as the Blackwatch tartan which is quite famous consisting of bands in blue, green, and black (It is said that the dark colors only was great for soldiers keeping watch who didn’t want to be seen.) to the, umm, bolder tartans such as the Buchanan (Ancient and modern and weathered are all extremely colorful.) 

--Almost the Gunn tartan

Some are beautiful; some are just colorful (which is a polite way of saying awful.)     As with many things considered Celtic, one must remember that the Celts originated in central Europe.  The proto-type Celtic race started in what is now Austria and Hungary. From there they spread out into France, Spain, Germany and eventually over to the British Isles. Celtic is really central Europe if one goes back far enough.  Nevertheless, there is some evidence that a tartan-like fabric developed as early as 400 BCE.

In Britain, a tartan-like textile can be traced back to at least the 3^rd century CE.  These tartans are not the complex setts seen in later years, but they were checked with horizontal and vertical lines and thus fall under the broader definition.

A real history of what we consider to be tartan doesn’t start until much later. There is an account of a tartan being made for King James V of Scotland.  It reads—

            “Three ells of Heland tertane to be hoiss at four shilling and four pence to the ell”

Which I think translates to something like “three lengths of Highland Tartan to be priced at 4s 4p a length.”

The typical dress of the Highlands before the 1600 was quite unlike the dress of Scotland we think of today.  James Man in the introduction to his book A History of Scots Affairs 1637-41, described typical dress before 1600 as

1)      A plaid (which mean blanket or piece of cloth, not necessarily in tartan), possibly in tartan, but certainly of different colors.

2)      Linen shirt, for those who could afford it, it would be dyed in saffron.

3)      A short jacket—reaching about to the navel

4)      Trews (leggings) for winter use, otherwise stockings to the top of the calf of the leg.

5)      Raw leather covering for the feet.

The “plaid” or long piece of cloth was often in a tartan pattern. It would be used in lots of different ways as a cap, a skirt, tunic, a sari-like outfit, usually kirtled up with a belt.  The weather, the time of day, the person wearing the outfit would adjust it as they saw fit.  By the 1600’s the plaid became more stylized and the folks would wear it with more attention to detail.  The pleating started in earnest by then.  A tartan of that time would be about four to six yards long and 2 yards wide. They would place it on the ground and start pleating it until it was about 5 feet long with about a two foot section un-pleated that would go on the front of the body.  Then, the wearer would get down on the ground, adjust for length, flip the un-pleated part over his front section and roll up with the pleated part, securing it with a belt.  Whew.  They could then stand up again.  A length of tartan would be left hanging down and the fellow would artistically drape it over his shoulders, or arm, or where he wanted it to go and pinned to his shirt with a brooch or pin.

 

The Breacan ah feileadh or Great kilt

The Kilt progressed through time to become more stable. The long plaid was removed and the little kilt or Feileadh Beg but this was still a draped and belted affair.  Eventually, the pleats were eventually sewn in place and “pleated to the sett” meaning that the pleats were formed so the pattern of the tartan would still be visible even when pleated and the modern kilt was born.  It should be noted, if it isn’t already clear, the kilt is a man’s costume. While the women could certainly wear a tartan plaid, they usually wore it as a shawl or occasionally in a long skirt.  Nowadays, women may also where a shorter kilt skirt, but the design is slightly different than the man’s kilt.

The Tartan itself didn’t start to get regulated until the late 17^th century.  Before then, any crisscrossed pattern piece of cloth might be called a tartan. The idea of a tartan being used to depict a family is quite modern really.  It first came about because the weavers in a certain area would weave the same sett; therefore, all the people living in that area tended to have the same pattern of cloth.  One must remember that a clan is a group of families, not one family.  Since a clan usually lived in the same area, they all started wearing the same cloth.  When anyone would travel or a traveler would come into the area, it is readily apparent that they were from a different clan because their tartan was different.

It wasn’t until the 17^th century that the idea of using a tartan really show clan pride took off in earnest. One must remember that the Scots were in a war with England for sovereignty and wearing a tartan kilted up was a nationalistic thing to do. So much so, in fact, that the ruling party, the English, banned the use of tartan and the kilt in 1746.  With the exception of the Blackwatch tartan which was associated not with a clan or family but with military, no tartan could be displayed.  The Jacobites (Scottish supporters of King James of Scotland) were stymied in their attempt to unite the Scottish clans against a single enemy.  The act read:

  That from and after the first day of August, One thousand, seven hundred and forty-six, no man or boy within that part of Britain called Scotland, other than such as shall be employed as Officers and Soldiers in His Majesty's Forces, shall, on any pretext whatever, wear or put on the clothes commonly called Highland clothes (that is to say) the Plaid Philabeg, or little Kilt, Trowse, Shoulder-belts, or any part whatever of what peculiarly belongs to the Highland Garb; and that no tartan or party-coloured plaid of stuff shall be used for Great Coats or upper coats, and if any such person shall presume after the said first day of August, to wear or put on the aforesaid garment or any part of them, every such person so offending ... For the first offence, shall be liable to be imprisoned for 6 months, and on the second offence, to be transported to any of His Majesty's plantations beyond the seas, there to remain for the space of seven years.---excerpt from Highland Dress Act of 1749.

This ban lasted for 36 years and seemed to effectively eliminate the use of the tartan and the kilt by highlanders all over Scotland.  Many people had been displaced in Scotland by that time as a result of the Fuadach nan Gaidheal or the “Highland Clearance” a sort of ethnic cleansing of its day.   People were forced from the Highlands to the lowlands and to North America or Ireland.  People were moved out so sheep could be moved in. People were moved out because the government was still waging a war against the Jacobites.  New people came to rule, things lightened up and the Jacobean threat decreased to the point that England was able to think more clearly without feeling threatened.  Eventually the rather childish act was repealed in 1782.  Rather than be exiled into the realms of quaint history, the Scots reached into their cupboards and pulled out their tartans with joy and from small clannish groups of a plaid, the national costume of Scotland was born in full, tartan-glory.

Named Tartans

The idea that a clan had a specific tartan is quite a modern one.  As mentioned before, a clan of people often wore the same tartan because that was the cloth being weaved in the area. But just as Santa Claus is now dressed in Coca-cola red, it was industry that declared a tartan be considered “proper” if it had a name and an attachment to a clan or some group.  The tartan need not be associated only with a clan, but a town might have one, an event might have one, almost anyone can have their own tartan. They need not even be Scottish. Plenty of Irish and Welsh tartans exist.  Royalty have their own tartan and if a person is a new royal, they might have one made for them. Diana, Princess of Wales, had a lovely tartan created in her memory. Over 7000 different tartans are recognized.

The company of William Wilson & Sons of Bannockburn was the first firm to start a mass production of tartan cloth.  It was the only supplier of tartans to the Highland regiments and thus they had much say in early pattern development.   It was this company that really started the use of giving a tartan a name. By 1819, they had around 250 tartans from their own design and gathered from all over Scotland.  About 100 of those had names.

It is a fact that when a person leaves their country of birth, they become even more patriotic. This was the case of the Scottish who had been displaced but now made their homes in England, Wales, Ireland and North America.  As the tartan grew more “standardized” ex-pats would write to the homeland requesting their clan tartan from the clan chief or laird.  Many of these clan chiefs had no idea they had a family tartan and would contact Wilson and Sons for help. The company was happy to create a tartan or take an old tartan without a name and give it to the clan. To their credit they did try to look up historical references first to see if a clan and a tartan could be connected, still, the idea of a tartan being the same that the Celtic ancestors wore is pretty much a myth.

Types of Tartan.

When I was that wide-eyed nine year old falling in love with the Gordon tartan, I found myself confused when I saw another tartan called Gordon that didn’t look at all like the one I bought. Mine was green and white mainly with a line of blue and yellow. This interloper was green and a muted blue with yellow. Yet they were both Gordon tartans.

Almost every clan tartan has at least four different setts.  The Ancient, Weathered, Modern, and Dress. Some also have a hunting tartan, but it might be another name for a weathered tartan.  They can be quite different.  The Gordon Clan has those four and a few more: the Gordon red and the Gordon blue.  Each can have variations in and among themselves. The Gordon Red can be modern, ancient or muted (weathered).  Also, one must take into account that there may be many families now named Gordon and each might have its own tartan. It gets complicated.  The different tartans came from different ways to dye the wool. (And it is almost always wool, but can be in any fabric now.)

 

  Ancient Gordon      

   “My Tartan” Dress Gordon                                                 

The Ancient tartan is usually a lighter shade.  The Modern tartan shows the crisper color although the green, blues and blacks to tend to mush together. The Weathered or Muted tartan is quite modern, stemming back to only the 1970s or so. It was made to be a throwback to a time when only natural dyes were used; a simulation of a tartan that might have been made before the 19^th century, but it is mostly conjecture. 

Modern Gordon

Weathered/muted Gordon

 Within the tartan itself, the pattern has a name too. The larger squares are called the under-check and the smaller lines, the over-checks. Often just variations in the width of these lines will create an entirely new tartan.

Just as the St. Patrick’s Day has become nearly a national holiday in America, our country has also created national tartan day. April 6^th is the day to deck out in your favorite tartan regardless of Celtic blood or Scottish affiliation.

New York City Tartan Day Parade, April 6^th, 2013—

Many states also have their own tartan, but Idaho does not. Washington State developed a very nice Tartan.

The official Tartan of Washington State, adopted in 1991

And so the humble checked pattern cloth known as the tartan has become a worldwide phenomenon. The ancient Celts would no doubt be astounded at how their plain plaid as morphed into a colorful symbol of national pride.

 Sources:
Sir Thomas Innes of Learnery and Semple, William, The Scottish Tartans Johnson and Bacon Pub, 1975

Collie, George,   Highland Dress, Penguin Books, London, 1948

Scottish Tartan Authority. www.tartanauthority.com

Scottish Tartan Museum http://www.scottishtartans.org/tartan.html

Picture Sources:

Flower of Scotland/Gunn Tartan—Misty Isle Pipe Band http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f100/kilt-gunn-modern-ancient-58461/

Ancient Highland Dress  www.tartanauthority.com

Diana, Princess of Wales, tartan  http://www.staonlineshop.co.uk/category/78-diana-memorial-tartan-diana-rose-tartan.aspx

Main four Gordon Tartans http://www.lindaclifford.com/Gordon.html

Tartan Week http://www.tartanweek.com/new-york-tartan-day-parade/

Washington State Tartan http://woozle.org/~neale/tartans/wa.html

 

Testament of Morann
Kingly Advice.

To read the testament of Morann as a historical document is interesting in and of itself.  It  is all vaguely familiar somehow. I’m not a big Bible reader in any way shape or form.  That would be a diatribe for another post someday, but I know enough about that book to see or at least feel something familiar when I read the Testament of Morann.

The Beatitudes from Matthew 5, 3-12, come from the famous Sermon on the Mount.  For a review, here they are.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven
Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The construction of the give and take between the Beatitudes above and the large middle section of the Testament is interesting, coincidental? Perhaps.

Let him keep my advice which follows here.
 Tell him before every [other] word
Bring him with every word this lasting justice.
 Let him preserve Truth, it shall preserve him
 Let him raise truth, it will raise him.
 Let him exalt mercy, it exalth him
 Let him care for his tribes, they will care for him
 Let him help his tribes, they will help him
 Let him soothe his tribes, they will soothe him

Regardless of application, both these passages have great words of wisdom for the meek and for the king. While it is true the Testament of Morann is written from one “older” ruler to the up and comer, the truth of it is a lesson to everyone.  Certainly anyone who is on a Druid path can see the benefits of these words.

Be truthful, promote truthfulness in others. Be merciful and you will be looked upon with kindness and honor; care for your people and they in turn will care for you. Help them, they will help you, comfort them and they will comfort you.

Now we have the Golden Rule that is found is so many culture around the world. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But it takes is one more step. Do unto others and that in turn will benefit you because others will admire what you have done and be there for you in your hour of need. A good “ruler” understands this and while they are forced to make hard decisions, if they are truthful, honest, and have the best welfare of their people in their sights at all times, they people will go with the decision.

The second part of that long stanza in the Testament is all about Truth and how through truth the ruler will gain so much more than by deceit.  If I may use the one other Bible verse I know, Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

When reading the Testament, I kept thinking. “The Greatest of these is truth” Or so it appears to Morann.  I don’t know which is greater, love or truth. I imagine probably love. Again, that sounds like another essay in theological greatness.

The final part of the Testament is really helpful advice from an older ruler to a younger one. He asks him to heed the advice of his elders because they have “been there and done that.”  Don’t re-invent the wheel.  It begs him not think before judging, learn before teaching, know your limits, etc.   Some of the suggestions are quite particular to the time and place, but one can easily see how they might be translated or modified to reach a modern audience or a particular set of people, like  a druid reconstructionist.  The Testament gives helpful advice on how to judge things that perhaps we might not think about “judging” today, but, in a sense, we judge all the time.  I confess, I don’t judge cattle at all, let alone by their “winter-circuit of fame”, but one can’t help be judge earth by its fruits. “That is good soil, the garden grows well!”  Is that not “estimate(ing) the earth by its fruits?

The final part of the Testament reminds him and us that good will win out.

Darkness yields to light
Sorrow yields to joy
An oaf yields to a sage
A fool yields to a wise man
A serf yields to a free man
Inhospitality yields to hospitality
Niggardliness yields to generosity
Meanness yields to liberality
Impetuosity yields to composure
Turbulence yields to submission
A usurper yields to a true lord
Conflict yields to peace
Falsehood yields to truth.

Morann wraps it up with a final plea to Feradach Find Fechtnach, to be a true ruler and sets down a final set of help advice to guide him on that path.

 King Henry IV

 

This is the part of the Testament that reminds me of Henry IV, part one, Act III, scene ii.   Not all of it, of course, but chunks of it.  In Henry IV, The King and his son, Prince Hal (Prince Henry, later Henry V) are having a little chat.  The King is, well, put out, by the antics of his son out and about town.   First he moans that he isn’t sure what he has done to anger God so much as to have God send him a wayward son.

Hal says, “sorry”

Then Henry launches into a guide for his own kingship and how he deported himself.

 God pardon thee! yet let me wonder, Harry,
At thy affections, which do hold a wing
Quite from the flight of all thy ancestors.
Thy place in council thou hast rudely lost.
Which by thy younger brother is supplied,
And art almost an alien to the hearts
Of all the court and princes of my blood:
The hope and expectation of thy time
Is ruin'd, and the soul of every man
Prophetically doth forethink thy fall.
Had I so lavish of my presence been,
So common-hackney'd in the eyes of men,
So stale and cheap to vulgar company,
Opinion, that did help me to the crown,
Had still kept loyal to possession
And left me in reputeless banishment,
A fellow of no mark nor likelihood.
By being seldom seen, I could not stir
But like a comet I was wonder'd at;
That men would tell their children 'This is he;'
Others would say 'Where, which is Bolingbroke?'
And then I stole all courtesy from heaven,
And dress'd myself in such humility
That I did pluck allegiance from men's hearts,
Loud shouts and salutations from their mouths,
Even in the presence of the crowned king.
Thus did I keep my person fresh and new;
My presence, like a robe pontifical,
Ne'er seen but wonder'd at: and so my state,
Seldom but sumptuous, showed like a feast
And won by rareness such solemnity.
The skipping king, he ambled up and down
With shallow jesters and rash bavin wits,
Soon kindled and soon burnt; carded his state,
Mingled his royalty with capering fools,
Had his great name profaned with their scorns
And gave his countenance, against his name,
To laugh at gibing boys and stand the push
Of every beardless vain comparative,
Grew a companion to the common streets,
Enfeoff'd himself to popularity;
That, being daily swallow'd by men's eyes,
They surfeited with honey and began
To loathe the taste of sweetness, whereof a little
More than a little is by much too much.
So when he had occasion to be seen,
He was but as the cuckoo is in June,
Heard, not regarded; seen, but with such eyes
As, sick and blunted with community,
Afford no extraordinary gaze,
Such as is bent on sun-like majesty
When it shines seldom in admiring eyes;
But rather drowzed and hung their eyelids down,
Slept in his face and render'd such aspect
As cloudy men use to their adversaries,
Being with his presence glutted, gorged and full.
And in that very line, Harry, standest thou;
For thou has lost thy princely privilege
With vile participation: not an eye
But is a-weary of thy common sight,
Save mine, which hath desired to see thee more;
Which now doth that I would not have it do,
Make blind itself with foolish tenderness.

Basically, he lets him have it and tells him to be a good ruler is to pay attention and don’t act like an idiot.

(Even that doesn’t affect Hal, not until the King tells his son that he wishes Hotspur, Hal’s rival, was his son instead. Then Hal gets it and the play turns from hapless youth to noble young warrior.)

I admit the parallel isn’t as strong as it might be, but when I read the Testament of Morann, it was Henry IV plea to his son I heard. Sure in Henry, the King is scolding him, but the ideas are much the same. Act like a King if you wish to be treated like a King.

In our world today, the Testament of Morann is not without merit.  Many of the rules and guidelines therein are still worthy of being considered, discussed, and utilized.  Whether one wishes to be ruler, a better co-worker or supervisor, or a king, or a druid, the Testament of Morann contains many gems of wisdom.

 

Sources:
Testament of Morann http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/morann.html
The Bible – Matthew 5: 3-13  and Corinthians 13:13
Shakespeare, William, The First Part of King Henry the Fourth, Act III, Sc ii

A view from our patio. Storm on the Palouse

 

Animism
Grove of Two Coasts

 

One of my earliest “issues” with organized religion was the idea that humans alone had a soul and that other living things were somehow dormant and Earth bound.  Souls, after all, go to Heaven when we die.

I recall at age six or so thinking – “Well, that is just stupid and wrong.”  Forty-four years later, my thoughts have not changed any.  The Grove SEA guidelines said that psychologists have said that we start our lives thinking this but lose that as we get older, not unlike believing in Santa or the Tooth Fairy. Society pressure drills it out of us.  Sorry, but believing that beings other than humans have a soul is not quite the same thing as Santa.  I don’t give a hoot what society might think.  If I’ve learned anything as I’ve “grown up” I’ve learned to be who and what I am and if others don’t like it, well, so be it.  I don’t succeed on this all the time, I can fall to peer pressure now and again, but not for the things I truly hold most dear.

I hold Animism dear.

I find this topic so fundamental to my being that I was rather surprised to find it on the list of things we needed to discuss.  Of course I believe in Animism.  I didn’t know it was call that for a long time, but the belief has never varied.

Where does the soul live? Where does it go when we die?  Far greater minds than mine have been battling those questions for years, but the question of whether or not something that isn’t human might have a soul is so obvious to me that I can’t see why others don’t believe it!

One need only look into the eyes of a dog to see the soul lurking there. Any animal will do the same thing. But what about non-animal? The flora of the world, does it have a soul, what about minerals?  This one is harder because it isn’t as obvious. One can’t see a tree breath, but science has shown it does breath and it has “blood” and it has a life cycle just as important and productive, if not more so, than a human.   I heard once that lettuce screams when it is harvested.  I know, sounds silly, and I wish I could remember the source, but it was a Nova episode or something like it.  Scientists showed a marked change in vegetation when it was cut.  It could recover (usually). If one prunes a tree, it will be fine, even healthier. But you are putting that tree through surgery and it must now heal itself.  That’s why we ask the tree for permission before we take a branch.

Rocks?  Seriously, rocks have a soul?  Yes, I think they do.  Rocks and minerals are at the base end of this chain, they are the Earth itself.  The Earth might not be alive like you and me, but it is a dynamic being all its own.  It has an internal heart, blood, skin, lungs. It cleans up after itself. It has a voice too.  Science can hear the sounds of the Earth systems.  It’s alive in its own way and in its own way, it has a soul.

Animism is as real as the air I breathe. I can’t see that either.

Does anyone remember an old Twilight Zone with the man and his dog at the gates of heaven? St. Peter would not let the dog in because it “had no soul” and the man said he would forego heaven to stay with his dog.  Then he discovered he wasn’t talking to St. Peter, but to the Devil who was trying to tempt him into Hell.  That’s my heaven too, if dogs can’t be there, I don’t want to go either.

Three more herbs!

Lavender 

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylun: Angiosperms (seed producing)
Order: Lamiales (typically have 5 petals fused into a tube. Four or fewer stamens, fused carpels and fused corollas or petals
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Genus: Lavandula-Lavender

About 39 species of Lavender exist. My favorite is L. angustifolio which is sometimes called true lavender or Old English Lavender.

Description and Cultivation

Lavender tends to be a spikey plant topped with lavender-colored (usually purple) flowers that look like stalks of petals. The flower grows in a spiral or whorl pattern atop a stalk. The leaves are far below the flower although there is often one little set of flowers about an inch or two before the main group of flowers a the top. All parts of the plant have a distinctive aroma of lavender from the oil in the plant. The flowers are especially potent.

Lavenders tend to grow about 15 to 30 inches high in bushy clumps.  A small lavender plant will produce quite a tidy little bush in just a year or two if left to its own devices.  Lavenders like it dry and hot.  Sandy or gravelly soil with good drainage is much preferred.  Too much water will tend to give the plant root rot. On the other hand, they thrive in Seattle which is quite wet, so go figure.

Lavenders can be found all over the world and can become invasive if people introduce them into environments they don’t belong in but grow anyway.  It is in the mint family and mints can run amok.  Fortunately for lavender, it is used by many people in many ways.

Harvesting

Harvesting lavender is actually fairly simple. It is hard to really hurt the plant until you pull it out of the ground totally.  For the homeowner (rather than a commercial grower), cut the lavender when the flowers are just about to pop open or have just done. As with most herbs, harvest them about mid-morning after the dew is off the flowers but the sun is not yet blazing away their essential oils.  Snip the stalks down about 10 to 12 inches, depending on the size of the plant.  If you wish re-flowering, it is important to harvest the plants early so the plant can produce another 3-7 harvests in the season.

It is also possible just to harvest the flower itself. Cut the blooms about ¼ inch below the colored part of the flower, leaving the green base. The base will then produce another flower in a few weeks.  Eventually, as the season wears on the plants gives up and you can then cut into the green area for the final harvest of the year.

It is okay to prune back the bush after final blooming or very early in spring (late winter) before it starts to grown again. It will get new growth in spring.

Once cut, bunches of lavender stems can be hung from the ceiling of a cool, dark place to dry or they may be spread out on drying screens. Just don’t clump them together into a mass that might get wet unless you want moldy lavender.  Once dried, the scent of lavender will radiate for quite a while. It will decrease, but if one gets right into the dried flower, the smell is still there long after harvest.

The flowers may be further crushed for culinary use and pressed and distilled for oil which the home gardener usually doesn’t have the time or space or equipment to bother with.

Ethnobotany

As with most things that have been used for thousands of years, it is hard to pin down the true source of the word lavender or lavandula. The Latin word Lavare –to wash, is the most likely source in my estimation because they tended to name things after the use. However, it could also be named for its color livendula which means livid or bluish.  It had another name in biblical times. The word Spikenard also refers to lavender, no doubt from the spikes on which the flower grows.

Still the lavare word seems best to me. It is the name that is most attach to what people did with lavender through the ages.  Laundry (a word close to lavare and from the exact same root) “Lavenders” became a term for the women who washed clothes and they often used lavender as a scent to make the clothes sweet.

The ancient world used lavender as a perfume and preservative. It was found in the tombs in Egypt and seemed to be used for both the embalming process and cosmetic use.  The Greeks also used it as a perfume.  One must remember how things probably smelled back then, so any perfume would be popular.

It was the Romans who really began to understand the uses of lavender.  They saw that it not only smelled great, it seemed to repel nasty insects.  Using lavender as part of a treatment for cuts and abrasions and other small wounds make it popular with soldiers.  It was also beneficial to those who suffered sore throats, had a headache, indigestion and generally felt bad.

As with many herbs, lavender fell out of use in the middle ages except by the learned men and women who were in the church, but when Henry VIII abolished the Catholic Church, lavender came out of the cloister and into the mundane gardens all over England.  It was used to sweeten things up.  It was folded into bed linens, strewn on floors with the rushes, used to make furniture polish and eventually scented soaps, potpourris and used in water for a bath.

Using lavender as a fresh scent to cleanse things or make them smell clean anyway continued long into the 19^th, 20^th and even now in the 21^st century.  Lavender-filled bags still rest in drawers and closets. Lavender scented soap is one of the most popular kinds.  If you can scent it, lavender will be there.  Lavender is used to calm the nerves, helps with sleep, relieve depression, relieve congestion, help with headaches, tension, exhaustion and generally makes one feel better!

 

Folklore

“Lavender’s blue, dilly-dilly, lavender’s green.
When I am, dilly-dilly, you shall be Queen.”

And thus lavender found its way into English folk songs back in the mid 1600’s.  Lavender’s Green is just one piece of folklore for the little plant.

Lavender has long been associated with protection and cleaning. Here are a few of the folklore claims:

·         If a maid drinks the dew from a lavender plant on St. Luke’s day she will see her true love.

·         Lavender was used in bedding and closest to repel insects.

·         It was said that Mary tossed some of the baby’s Jesus’s clothes on a lavender bush to dry and thus they were scented. So others would do the same to be closer to the holy family.

·          Cleopatra used lavender and apparently Julius Caesar and Marc Antony liked it just fine.

·         Adam and Eve took lavender out of the garden of Eden when they got kicked out.

·         Lavender was used to prevent plague and since it is an insect repellent, it indeed might have helped.

·         It is said to plant a field of lavender above a vineyard and the wine produced will be richer and have a better bouquet.

Constituents

Lavender has over 100 constituents but the main ones include the following:

Linalool—a terpene alcohol which helps produce the scent

Perillyl alcohol—a rapidly absorb monoterpene constituent which might have some anti-cancer properties

Linalyl acetate—an acetate ester of linalool producing a fruity odor

Camphor—a terpenoil with a strong woody scent
Limonene—a hydrocarbon that also helps with scent. A prime mover in the lemon too
Tannins—an astringent biomolecule with good amino acids and alkaloids. Helps protect the plant from preditors

Triterpenes-a type of terpenes, where we get the word turpentine.  The smell nice too and help with protection

Coumarins—produces a sweet smell too and have been used for a long time in perfumes Found in Tonka beans among other plants

Cineole—a cyclic ether and monoterpeniod. Most often seen in eucalyptus, but in other plants too

Flavonoids—help give the plant color, help against disease of the plant and attract pollinators.

Medical and cosmetic uses

As mentioned in Ethnobotany, lavender has several, indeed many, medical uses. Studies have happened involving lavender, unfortunately, they are small studies so the qualitative numbers are not as high as most scientists would like them to be for definitive answers.  Why someone doesn’t just do a big study and answer the question is beyond me.  However, even those small studies seem to show some benefit in using lavender with anxiety, stress, insomnia, and pain.  It also appears to have both antibacterial and antiviral benefits.  Another study shows it might be useful to combat hair loss.

Aromatherapy seems to be the best way to use lavender and it does smell great so that works too!  Using lavender in sachets, sleep pillows, soaps, massage oils, tisanes, tinctures and such are all ways to get that lavender oil to the body part needed.

One should take care in using lavender, although it is quite safe.  I used it as a sleep pillow once and it gave me a stuffy nose. As soon as I took the pillow away, I was fine again.  I might still use the pillow, but I put it on the other side of the bed so I can get a little scent without clogging my nasal passages.  When using lavender oil directly on the skin, care should be given to make sure a rash does not develop.  If taken internally, (lavender flowers can be found in food. Do NOT take the oil internally as it is toxic that way.) it can cause headache, constipation and an increased appetite.

Lavender helps the body relax, so care should be taken if one is already using some medication for relaxation like Xanax or Ativan.

Magickal Correspondences

Need a man? Get some lavender. Lavender seems to attract men and that attraction is one of its magickal properties. Perhaps that’s one reason why it is seen is so many perfumes throughout the ages.  Lavender is all about love, protection, and cleansing things. Ruled by Mercury and associated with Air, lavender can help with lines of communication. I have no problem with its air association as it is chiefly used for its scent and needs a dry climate (airy as opposed to watery) to grow well. 

Astrologically, lavender is associated with Gemini and Virgo, the twins and the virgin. 

Use lavender for spells needing a lovely “kick” to enhance love, attract a love, and encourage love.  Use it also to cleanses things and bring about a calm, restful environment.  Since lavender tends to rid areas of insects and other pests, it is also used for protection spells.  One can’t go wrong with a lavender wand.

Food

Lavender has become a really popular food item in recent years. Its flowers are edible and people make the most of that.  I must say that I’ve had many foods with lavender in it and, well, let’s just as a little goes a long way, so use it carefully and judiciously. Too much lavender is too strong and will make things taste bitter. One may always add more, but it is a pain to remove it once it is in the dish.

Here are just a few of many foods that might use lavender:

Lavender tea cookies

Lavender Tea Cookies Recipe by What’s Cooking America

Yields: 2 dozen cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender flowers
1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Lavender Frosting (see recipe below)

Preparation:

In a mortar, grind lavender flowers with the pestle.

In a medium bowl, cream together ground lavender flowers, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Add flour and salt; mix until combined (dough should be soft but not sticky.) Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until dough is firm.

Prepare Lavender Frosting; set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator.

On a lightly-floured surface, roll dough approximately 1/4-inch thick with your rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes with your favorite  cookie cutters and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on wire cooling racks. When cool, frost with Lavender Frosting.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Lavender Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender flowers
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

In a small plastic bag, combine powdered sugar and dried lavender flowers. Let stand at least 1 day before using. When ready to use, sift the mixture into a medium-size bowl; discarding lavender flowers.

Add milk and corn syrup, mixing well. Spread on baked, cooled cookies.

Lavender and Lemon poached chicken from “French Tart” at www.food.com

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
300 ml good chicken stock
10 drops lavender, cooking essence or 1 teaspoon culinary lavender flowers
15 g butter
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons cornflour
3 tablespoons crème fraiche
Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
fresh lavender flowers (to garnish) Directions:

1 Place the stock and lavender essence in a saucepan and bring to boil. Add the chicken breasts and return to boil and poach for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

2 Remove the chicken to a dish and keep warm while making the sauce. Pour the stock into a jug.

3 Melt the butter in the pan and soften the shallot gently for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle on the cornflour and stir to mix.

4 Gradually add the stock and stir while bringing to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the creme fraiche, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes. Add lemon juice and season to taste.

5 Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish each chicken breast with some lavender flowers and serve with wild rice or pasta; new potatoes and mange tout would also be good.

Lavender-Strawberry Spritzer by Joe Coca

Serves 4 to 6

• 1/4 cup orange juice
 • 1 cup fresh strawberries
 • 1 tablespoon fresh lavender buds
 • 3 cups white wine (or one 750 ml bottle)
 • 4 cups mineral water
 • 4 to 6 fresh lavender sprigs
 • 4 to 6 fresh strawberries

1. In a blender or food processor, blend the orange juice, 1 cup of strawberries, and lavender flowers. Transfer to a jug or bowl.

2. Pour wine over the blended mixture and allow to steep for 30 minutes; then strain into a punch bowl, discarding solids.

3. To serve, fill a wineglass half full with this flavored wine and top with mineral water. Garnish with a sprig of lavender and a strawberry.

 

Sources

Photo:

Lavender Fields   Schulman, Jennifer   http://www.jenniferschulman.com/content/lavender-essential-oil-helps-our-baby-sleep-through-night-and-cures-ringworm

 Lavender harvest   Pereira, Mary   http://maid4ugreenville.blogspot.com/2012/08/relaxit-lavender-take-two.html

Lavender flowers Bulgaria http://www.21food.com/products/lavender-flower-honey---gift-jar-104266.html

Lavender Cupcakes   Cassidy, Peter http://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/your_home_and_garden/recipes/lavendercupcakes.html

Bremnes, Lesley Herbs, Smithsonian books, 1994

Lavender  University of Maryland Medical Center  http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/lavender-000260.htm

Lavender Bioactive products found in Lavandula angustifolio http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-science/nutrition-research/learning-center/plant-profiler/lavandula-angustifolia.html

 Perillyl Alchohol ttp://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/disclaimer?msk_disclaimer_herb=1&destination=%2Fcancer-care%2Fherb%2Fperillyl-alcohol

Lavender Folklore Lavender Enchantment  http://www.lavenderenchantment.com/History_Lore/lore.htm 2004

Drew, A. J. A Wiccan Formulary and Herbal, New Page Books, 2005

Lavender Tea Cookies What’s Cooking America  http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cookie/LavenderCookie.htm

Lavender and Lemon Chicken http://www.food.com/recipe/elegant-lavender-and-lemon-poached-chicken-breasts-240610

Lavender Spritzer, Coca, Joe  Mother Earth Living http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/8-lovely-lavender-recipes-lavender-strawberry-spritzer.aspx

Dunlap, Marilyn. Wine arch in a Tuscan Landscape  http://www.compassionatearts.com/nationally-acclaimed/wine-and-lavender-2/

 

Western Yarrow

Achillea millefolium occidentalis

Taxonomy

Kingdom         Plantae – plants
Division           Magnoliophyta –flowering plants
Class                Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass          Asteridae
Family             Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus              Achillea L. – Yarrow
Variety           Achillea millefolium L occidentalis –                       

  Common Western Yarrow

            Description and Cultivation

Many types of yarrow exist in the world. It is an old and revered plant, but Western Yarrow is a variation that has its origin the North America and is somewhat different from common yarrow. An herbaceous perennial, this is a great choice for a xeriscape garden in my part of the world.  Western yarrow doesn’t require much water; it will thrive in land that gets between 8 and 15 inches of rain a year.  It has hairy looking small leaves which give the plant a lacy appearance.  Also called Woolly Yarrow because of the fine hairs on the leaves and stem, Western Yarrow is usually between 10 and 36 inches tall (25-90 cm), compared to common yarrow, which is far more aggressive, taller and smoother.

The flowers of the Western Yarrow are not unlike all the yarrows in the world, they are small and plentiful. The word millefolium means thousands of leaves/flowers and indeed the flower heads of the yarrow are a bunch of smaller flowers gathered together in an umbel-shaped flower head.  Western Yarrow tends to the white to cream range of color and blooms from May to September.  After the first bloom, one may deadhead the flowers and another full bloom will occur.

Western Yarrow isn’t too fussy as to where it lives.  Give it a little dirt, a bit of water now and again and some sun and it is happy to grow just about anywhere.  It makes it an ideal plant for water conscious gardens and roadside rehabilitation of native plants in our state.

Planting Western Yarrow could not be simpler.  Just take the small seeds and sprinkle them on the ground, then shift a fine layer or dirt over them so they are in a shallow plot.  Leave it alone, avoid walking around on it and it will most likely grow just fine.  The first year it needs to get established and the flowers might be few and small, but after that it should come back year after year.  The soil should be well drained or root rot may develop and while some insects enjoy munching on yarrow, such as leaf bugs and flea beetles, they don’t usually hurt the plant too much and since yarrow attracts other insect that feed on the former, it all usually works out fairly well in the circle of life.

Harvesting

Yarrow should be harvested when the plants are in blossom, about half of the flowers open, the rest will open after cutting. Deadheading the plant will keep it in blossom for at least one more round of flowers.  After the initial bloom, cut the plant down to the ground and one should get another crop in fall.

To dry yarrow, one merely gathers up the stalks from the base of the plant, hangs them in a bunch upside down to dry out in an airy place out of the sun.  The flowers may then be removed and stored in air-tight jars out of the sun for quite some time.

Ethnobotany

Common yarrow is one of the oldest known plants used by humans.  It was found buried in gravesite in Iraq that dates back to 60,000 BCE.  Since then it has been helping humans with its small flowers and hairy stems in a myriad of ways. It is said that the Greek hero, Achilles was taught how to use yarrow by Chiron, the centaur.  The soldier took that knowledge to the battlefield to stop the bleeding of his soldiers when wounded

In the west, Western Yarrow was/is used by many native  tribes (in our area that would be the Nez Perce, Coeur d’Alene, and Lapwai mainly) pain relief and fever reduction, brewing beer and almost anything else. It can be brewed into a tea to help with stomach complaints, it makes a nice mosquito repellant and it can be ground up with a bit of water and applied as a poultice on an infected injury.  Dried and ground seeds make a nice substitute for pepper as well.  One of its names is “old man’s pepper.” Soldier’s Woundwort and Staunchweed are two other common names for yarrow as are bloodwort, devil’s nettle, nosebleed, snakes grass, thousand seal.

Each of its common names tells a small part of its story.  Soldier’s woundwort and Staunchweed harken back to the Achilles story. Nosebleed might have two meanings: It can be used to stop the bleeding but at one time legend said that if one stuck a piece of yarrow up the nose and the nose bleed, it was a sign of true love. Well, the nose almost always bleeds since yarrow can be an irritant. It is called devil’s nettle, devil’s plaything and bad man’s plaything too. This does not mean it is a plant to attract the devil, but rather to repel him and all bad people.  It was worn in protective amulets by the Saxons and was reportedly used by witches for good or bad intents.

A wonderful forage plant for many animals both wild and domestic, yarrow can supplement the diets of many animals.  Bighorn sheep, antelope and deer love it, so it is not the plant to plant in a garden if one wants to keep the deer out.  Grouse and other birds eat it as do horse and cattle.  The animals are smart enough not to gorge themselves on it which is wise since too much yarrow can be toxic. Some birds line their nests with yarrow for its anti-parasitic properties

Other plants benefit from yarrow when it grows near them. Its leaves make a nice compost and it attaches useful insects more than harmful ones.

Folklore

In China, common yarrow is/was used to help divine the future with its use in the I Ching.  50 yarrow sticks are gathered up. One is set aside and the remaining 49 are separated into two piles.  Then, one stick from one of the piles is tucked in the space between the little and ring finger.  The other pile is then counted out in groups of four sticks at a time.  When zero to four stick remain, they are placed in the space between the middle and ring finger. The other pile is then counted out in the same way and placed between the middle and index finger.  Then the stick in the fingers are counted and depending on what number of stick is found the appropriate Yin or Yang or Old Yin or Old Yang line will be drawn and the whole process starts again for all six I Ching lines.  It is a time consuming process! (Fortunately, Prof. Roue showed me an app for that and it goes much faster!)

    I Ching with Yarrow. Note the single stick between the pinkie finger and ring finger

Constituents

Volatile oils—dark blue oil distilled from the flowers.
Achillein-which is a type of aconitic acid unique to yarrows
Alkaloids
Glycosides—which can help eliminate toxins
Salicylic acid—the same stuff as aspirin which accounts for its pain relief properties
Asparagine—A common amino acid
Sterols---a sort of plant cholesterol which might be used to block bad cholesterol in humans
Flavonoids—a part of plant pigmentation which help the plant attract pollinators
Tannins—which help protect the plant from pests and help regulate growth
Bitters—The constituent in yarrow that help create bitters, the drink.
Cumarins—the common chemical in many plants that helps promote a sweet smell

Medical and cosmetic uses

The leaves, stems, and flowers of the yarrow are used for medical purposes.

To make a skin wash for skin with eczema or for oily skin (which seem like opposite ailments, but yarrow works for both) infuse 1 cup of crumbled yarrow flowers into 2 cups of boiling water. Allow to cool and then strain out the flowers.  Use this infusion on the skin. Pat it on and allow it to seep in. It is good on acne, on a bath, compress, or just as a wash.

For a sudden toothache or headache, chew on fresh yarrow leaves (for the tooth) or rub them on your temple for the headache.  The same can be done for an insect bite. The yarrow will help relieve the itch. Yarrow is also uses its anti-inflammatory properties to treat deep bruises and is safe for cuts and abrasions when used as a poultice.

Yarrow has a heady smell of “summer” to my nose. I love to just rub against it or run my fingers in it to release the oils.  One might use yarrow essential oil to scent household cleaners or a bucket of water.  It looks like in a potpourri although the color does tend to fade.

Magickal Correspondences

Protection is probably its best use since it has been used for that for so many centuries. Given all its healing background, it makes sense that healing and protection would be at the top of yarrows correspondences.

Associated with the goddess Aphrodite/Venus, it also makes sense to use yarrow in any love spell.  Actually, I would say because it was used for love spells it is associated with Aphrodite rather than the other way around.

Yarrow of all kinds is associated with Air and for once I don’t have a problem with that association. (Although one source says its element is water, but I don’t agree there.)  Its lacy feather-like leaves lend themselves to air as does its fragrant flowers.  The use of it with the I Ching, a form of divination also places it in Air’s domain.

It is useful to carry a bit of yarrow around to help with anxiety, repel negativity, and attract pleasant feelings.

Sources

Drew, A. J. A Wiccan Formulary and Herbal, New Page Books, 2004

Garden guides.com Western Yarrow (Occidentalis) http://www.gardenguides.com/taxonomy/western-yarrow-achillea-millefolium-var-occidentalis/

Grieve, Maud . A modern Herbal Botanical.com http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/y/yarrow02.html

Hunter, Candace, Yarrow: Myth and Magic http://www.thepracticalherbalist.com/component/content/article/53-magical-herbs/266-yarrow-myth-and-magic.html?directory=103

http://itd.idaho.gov/manuals/Online_Manuals/Current_Manuals/Roadside_Revegetation/Roadside_Revegetation.pdf

Plant Fact Sheet Western Yarrow:  http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_acmio.pdf

Potterton, David (editor), Stinger, Michael (illustrator)  Culpeper’s Color Herbal.  Sterling Press, 2007. 

Silverman, Maida, A City Herbal: Lore, Legend, & Uses of Common Weeds, Ash Tree Publishing, 1977

Aloe vera

Taxonomy

Kingdom         Plantae—A plant
Order               Asparagales- a monocot (one seed-leaf) that was once the in Liliales order
Family             Xanthorrhoeaceae—a flowering asparagale
Subfamily        Asphodeloideae- usually a plant contain anthraquinones which is a phenolic compound
Genus              Aloe – flowering succulents about 500 species
Species            Aloe vera – the best known

 

Description and Cultivation

The aloe vera looks like a cactus. It has broad leaves radiating out from the base of the plant with smooth green-grey “skin” and sharp barbs about every half inch. Fleshy is a way to describe the Aloe leaf.  A flower of sorts appears from the center of the plant on a long stem.  The flowers are like long tubes, rather like a hyacinth or an odd day lily except a lot bigger and usually yellow. That is probably why it was part of the lily family for so long.  It is the spiny leaf that is the area of most interest to humans for its goopy sap that it holds inside which allows it to go a long time without water.  Aloe vera, unlike its fellow aloes no longer occurs naturally, it is extinct except when cultivated by humans. Aloe vera is usually a bushy houseplant, but it can grow up to 60 feet high if left alone.

Harvesting

Aloe vera is grown for ornamental use and medicinal uses. There is a mother plant and “pups” They like good drainage, sandy soil and water, but not lots of it.  They will dry out and shrivel in really hot sun. They make a great indoor plant, however and love sitting on kitchen windowsills.  The plant should be mature, not a “pup” and in good condition before harvesting. As long as the leaves are about eight inches long, they are mature.  The leaves will not grow back, rather they will be replaced with new growth from the center of the plant.  To harvest the leaf, just cut it with a sharp knife near the base. Cut the outer leaves before cutting any inner leaf.  Rinse the newly cut leaf with water. Cut off the spines around the edges, then “skin” the leaf on both sides.  That leaves you with just the gel from the inside which can be stored in a container (plastic or glass) with a lid in the refrigerator for about a week.  It may also be frozen for longer use.

Ethnobotany

The word Aloe appears to be the name for the plant in ancient Arabic, meaning “shining bitter one”, but the term vera is Latin for “true” meaning this is the “true” form of the plant although it didn’t get that name until the late 1700’s.  Aloe vera has been used by cultures all over the world for many centuries.  It seems to be a native of Africa where the earliest description of the plant occurs.  A cave painting near the Orange River in South Africa shows an aloe plant.  It is quite possible that the ancient people used aloe much like we do. It sooths a burn and although they had tamed fire, they still got burned. Dab some gel on the sight and the sting would disappear and the burn would heal faster. 

The first record of aloe goes back to the 4^th century BCE to relieve inflammation. Alexander the Great even conquered an island because of its aloe supply.

At one time Aloe was also used as a laxative, until quite recently actually, but modern science suggests this is not a great idea.  It is good to note that the laxative quality of the plant and the burn healing gel are not the same component.  The barbaloin or just aloin is found in the flesh of the stem, not the gel inside.  If one scraps the leaves too closely, they will mix and the gel will then become more of a laxative.   Aloin is a rather rough laxative causing cramping, abdominal pain, and taste bitter.

Folklore

It is said that Queen Cleopatra used Aloe vera on her skin to promote a smooth glowing surface.
Egyptians used aloe as part of the embalming process, but then they used almost every plant for that process it seems to me. They also used it as part of perfumes and lotions.
Jesus is said to have been doused in Aloe vera and myrrh by Nicodemus after he was killed as part of the burial.
Marco Polo learned about aloe’s use in stomach complaints (probably the laxative quality) when visiting China.

Aloe vera is one of few plants that have maintained their primary use (healing burns) over the centuries. It started as a folk medicine, but just kept going from culture to culture.

Columbus also carried it to the new world because it was so useful in treating ache, pains, burns, and scratches aboard ship.

Constituents

Aloe vera has about 75 active constituents and over 200 constituents overall.

Vitamins A, C, E, B12, Folic Acid and Choline

Enzymes including alkaline phosphatase, aliiase, cellulose and Bradykinase which helps with inflammation.

Minerals – Calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc mainly.

Glucose and fructose and muchopolysaccarides which are found in the mucous layer where the gel is.

Barbaloin and isobarbaloin and Aloe-emodin and 12 other anthraquinones which are phenolic in nature and involve that laxative property.

Fatty acids like cholesterol, campersterol and lupeol as well as amino acids, salicylic acid, lignin and Saponin which help clean things and are antiseptic in nature

Medical and cosmetic uses

Aloe vera is sometimes called the Miracle Plant for all its uses.  Help with burns, rashes, skin aliments, the laxative properties. Frostbite damage, tissue pain. It is anti-inflammatory and soothing and may have the ability to help collagen and elastin in the skin maintain their bounce which would help with signs of aging.  The odd thing is, that while Aloe has been used for over 4000 years, science can’t really tell why it works. They might even say it doesn’t.  However, too many people who use the stuff can attest to the fact that is does something!  I, myself, know it helped greatly when I got a nasty sunburn my first day in Mexico on February. (It was so warm, I couldn’t bear to leave the sunshine…ouch!) Without Aloe vera, I would have been in considerable pain and the burn would have peeled much more than it did. So, science keeps looking and finding out things about Aloe vera that does seem to point to scientifically proven results.  It might not yet be the miracle plant, but everyone is looking at it with great interest after all this time.

Most people will use from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of Aloe gel for external use at one time.

Magickal Correspondences

Most associate Aloe vera with water and feminine qualities. I don’t disagree for once!  Obviously, Aloe grows in dry areas, but it has so much liquid inside it that the water association is clear. Because of its protective nature and healing nature, both realms of the feminine aspects of our world, that also seems to make sense.  Aloe is used for good luck, to prevent accidents. (As in, if you have the cure on hand, you won’t need it.)

It is good for beauty spells, peace, success, and protection.  It is also associated with the moon, again from the feminine qualities more than what the actual plant needs to grow.

Food

Don’t eat it.  Aloe vera can be taken internally, but I wouldn’t do it without a doctor’s approval or that laxative nature could come….out.

 Sources

Aloe Plants info, recipes, & tips,  We Love Aloe 2011  http://www.aloeplant.info/harvest-fresh-aloe-gel/

Foster, Stephen, Aloe vera –Every windowsill deserves one, Mother Earth Living, 1995.

Aloe vera – Nature’s Miracle Plant  Uncle Harry’s Natural Products, 2013 http://www.uncleharrys.com/store/article.php?pamphlet=aloe

Drew, A. J. A Wiccan Formulary and Herbal, New Page Books, 2004

Aloes  Grieve, M. Modern Herbal http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/aloes027.html

Photo of medical uses of Aloe vera   whyflp.com

Photo of Cleopatra http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00052982.html

Photo of books  Beck, Lu Gaerde der suntheit 1492   http://www.med.yale.edu/library/historical/klebs/5.html