Herbs And The Moon
By Chandra Beal
Working with herbs is one of my favorite pastimes, along with studying
and working with moon energy. To my delight, I have found that by
combining these two hobbies a personal sense of power and pleasure can
be gained from the results.
Just as the earth and her oceans are influenced by the moon, so are we
affected by its flowing energy. Working with herbs that are
astrologically ruled by the moon can help us learn to flow with the
natural rhythms of our emotions. By assisting us in realizing our
capacity to love and live in harmony with everything around us, we can
be better understood by first understanding ourselves.
Lunar rhythms are deeply connected to our subconscious. Using herbs
affected by those rhythms can assist us in developing our intuition.
They can increase sensitivity and vision, and broaden our imagination
and understanding. These herbs are often feminine in nature and govern
the uterus, ovaries and breasts. Exploring lunar herbs can be a soothing
and nurturing pastime which will enrich our lives and the lives of those
around us.
The following recipes call for the use of lunar herbs either by
themselves or in combination with other types of herbs.
SEA SALT RUB
Try this sea-salt rub after your bath to increase circulation, soften
skin, remove impurities and toxins, and remove dead skin cells. This
treatment will make your skin feel radiant. This bath ritual honors the
moon goddess Aphrodite, whose name means "born of the foam". A seashell
would be an appropriate container for mixing the salt and oil. The Sea
Goddess was also known to the Romans as Marianna, whose name means
"the sea". Honoring the lunar goddess should always be a celebration of
love, sensuality, and the ebb and flow of life. Alignment with the cycles
of the moon can help us feel more balanced, creative, and renewed.
Ingredients:
8 oz. sea salt
few drops wintergreen oil
To prepare your materials, pour the salt into a large seashell or other
container and mix with the wintergreen oil. You may wish to prepare this
mixture ahead of time and keep it in a tightly sealed glass jar. Doing
this ritual in the bathtub or shower allows for easy cleanup. If you
have a loving partner, invite them to rub the salt onto your body while
you relax on clean towels or sheets. Begin with a warm bath or shower to
relax your body and open your pores. While your skin is still wet, rub a
small handful of salt between your palms. Add a little water if
necessary to keep the salt about the consistency of wet sand. Vigorously
rub your entire body with the salt using circular motions. Begin with
your shoulders and work toward your feet. Do not apply the salt to your
face. Your skin will flush and feel warm as your blood rises to the
surface. When you have covered your entire body, relax while the salt
dries. As the salt dries it will begin to fall away from your body like
dry sand. Rinse your body with lukewarm water. You should feel immediate
results. Your skin will feel silky and soft. You may feel like you are
glowing like the moon itself. Use a towel to gently pat your body dry.
Apply your favorite lunar essential oils or moisturizer, such as rose or
jasmine, to your skin. You may want to follow your bath by laying slices
of cucumber on your eyelids to soothe them and reduce puffiness.
Enjoy!!
POTPOURRI SACHETS
Another way to enjoy lunar herbs is to make a sachet of potpourri. These
sachets can be used for many purposes, such as scenting your bureau
drawers and closets. Roses, especially white ones, are distinctly
feminine and represent love. They are most closely associated with the
goddesses Aphrodite and Venus.
Ingredients:
white rose petals, dried
few drops of rose oil
teaspoon orris powder
paper bag
fabric, cut to size
ribbons
Give yourself the gift of some white roses and save the petals. Dry the
petals on a flat surface which allows air to circulate around them. When
the petals are completely dry, place the them in a paper bag. Add a few
drops of rose oil and a teaspoon of orris powder. Shake the bag to coat
the petals. Now place the petals inside a piece of fabric or lace and tie it
closed with pretty ribbons. The sachet can be renewed with herbs to suit your
needs.
SUN AND MOON OIL
I like to make this oil frequently. It makes a great all purpose massage
oil and has also been effective as a treatment for dry and flaky scalps.
The herbs in this recipe are governed by both the sun and the moon. The
combination of both symbolizes balance between those energies. Almonds,
chamomile and juniper impart sun energies, while lavender, rose
geranium and peppermint are ruled by the moon.
Ingredients:
4 oz. almond oil
few drops of rose geranium oil
few drops of peppermint oil (optional)
a few spikes of fresh lavender
pinch of fresh chamomile flowers
a few fresh juniper berries
Crush the juniper berries with a mortar and pestle. Mix the rose
geranium and peppermint oils into the almond oil. Pour the oils into a
sealable container leaving room at the top. Drop the crushed juniper
berries into the container Add the lavender spikes and chamomile
flowers. Seal the container tightly. Leave the container someplace where
it will be in both the sun and moonlight for two weeks. After two weeks,
strain the oil through cheesecloth and remove
the herbs. Rebottle the clear oil and enjoy!
MOONWATER
Drinking moonwater is appropriate before the rituals of The Great Rite,
purification spells, or any ritual involving moon magick. Mandrake is
sacred to Diana and also to Circe, the Greek dark moon goddess.
Ingredients:
one small piece of mandrake root
one quart jar of water
Place the mandrake root in the jar of water. The jar should be left in
the moonlight beginning at twilight and removed just before dawn. Begin
on the night of the new moon and continue each night as it waxes full.
Keep the jar away from sunlight. At the full moon, remove the mandrake
root and drink the moonwater from your ritual chalice.
A SELECTION OF HERBS RULED BY THE MOON
Camphor
Cabbage
Coriander
Cucumbers
Fluer-de-lis
Ginger
Holly
Iris
Jasmine
Lettuce
Lily
Moonwort
Orris Root
Poppy
Pumpkin
Purslane
Rose (White)
Rowan
Seasalt
Sesame Seeds
Star Anise
Watercress
Water Lily
Wintergreen
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