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Echinacea Purpurea
Echinacea comes from the Greek echinos, meaning hedgehog or sea-urchin, because of its conical spiny seed heads.
Echinacea is anti-inflammatory and is beneficial in the acute stages of a cold or flu. It may also be more effective when used in conjunction with other immune-supportive herbs such as Elderberry and Gingerroot. During this time, Echinacea must be taken in high dose and frequency to be effective as soon as symptoms begin to appear.
It also decreases inflammatory allergic reactions in mild food allergies and stimulates gastric healing. The constituent, echinacin, has been shown to be useful in treatment of tonsillitis. It is used for colds, influenza, wounds, infections, allergies, bacterial and viral disease, swollen glands and gum disease.
Each part of Echinacea has unique phyto-chemistries that can benefit the immune system in many ways. In my spagyric tincture there are 70% roots, and 30% flowers and leaves.
Echinacea was a traditional remedy of the Native American Indians in the Great Plains, where it grows wild. The Cheyenne, Comanche, and other tribes used it for many ailments, including toothaches, sore throats, tonsillitis, coughs, and blood and lymphatic diseases.
it is an excellent bloodpurifyer.
The the lay doctor, H. C. F. Meyer, who “re-discovered” Echinacea in the 1870s claimed to know of over 600 cases in which his remedy had not failed to cure rattlesnake bites. He let himself be bitten by many rattlesnakes to prove his point.
This was the beginning of a hype!
Nettle
”How much men are like the nettle!
My friends, remember this, that there are no weeds, and no worthless men, there are only bad farmers.”
– Victor Hugo
Ruled by Mars and just like the red planet and the blood, it is full of iron. It builds and purifies the blood, it is alkalizing, full of nutrients, many other minerals and chlorophyl. It cools stinging and burning and act as an anti inflammatory.
Nettle is a great protector against inflammation but also on an energetic level in acting as a guardian of ones integrity. It is good to call on Nettle when one feels invaded or to release heat when one is angry or frustrated or when inflamed. Nettle keeps you cool.
Nettle works with complicated protein building-blocks to build some of the most complex molecules used by the body, by removing uric acid from the waste products of the system. Nettle provides a know-how. It is useful to take a cure of nettle as an internal spring cleaning.
In this way it may be helpful in preventing seasonal allergies.
Red Clover
“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, One clover, and a bee, And revery. The revery alone will do, If bees are few. “
-Emily Dickinson
Red Clover is a blood purifyer. Therefore it is good for exzema and acne. It is good as a detox.
Because of its concentration of the phytoestrogens daidzein and genistein, which mimic the activity of estrogen, red clover has been studied for its use in alleviating the discomfort of menopause and PMS.
Red Clover has a mildly tonic effect on the nerves, which in turn eases indigestion, nausea and headaches.
“Plants with three leaves are sometimes used to discuss the nature of trinity or manifestation with the numerical value of three. The rarity of the four-leved plants has developed a widely held belief that they bring luck.”
From “A compendium of Herbal Magick” by Paul Beyrl.
Yarrow
The Wounded Warrior/The Wounded Healer
Yarrow is a fever remedy, It is also a bitter tonic that promotes digestion. The application as a wound remedy is prehistoric.
Because yarrow has such a strong affinity to the blood and bleeding, it is an important female remedy. It works both ways, to staunch excessive bleeding and to break up stagnant blood. Yarrow is a menstrual regulator. It is useful for irregular menstruation, mental restlessness in menopausal women and inflammation of the ovaries.
Yarrow is indicated for bleeding hemorrhoids. Use a compress with an infusion or hydrosol of yarrow topically and the spagyric tincture internally.
Yarrow both dulls pain and heightens consciousness. In a similar manner, it causes bleeding, stops bleeding, and breaks up stagnant, coagulated blood. Paradox is common in herbal medicine.
It is a warrior remedy. Named after the immortal Greek warrior, with the exception of his weak spot on his ankle (the Achilles tendon), it gives us the strength to face our weakness. Yarrow goes to this spot and strengthens it, turning our weaknesses into strengths and talents.
This is also reflected in the myth of Chiron, the wounded healer. The union of paradox and the union of the feminine and the masculine. (venus: female reproductive system and kidneys , mars: blood, fever, immune system) The transmutation from the warrior into the healer.
The teaching of yarrow is that it is a healer of the sacred wound. It is the sacred wounds that heal us on a deeper level.