Last week we got to talk a lot about herbs and about the health benefits of going back to what Mother Nature has provided us since the beginning of creation, in order to be physically and mentally strong. We are going to finish up this 3 part series with the benefits of herbs spiritually. Most of us have some sort of desire to feel connected to the source, to know what is beyond Earth and what lies after life. We have developed some sort of belief system for ourselves that brings us peace and fulfillment just as our ancestors before us had done. I want you to think about a question for just a moment. Really think about this and form an answer in your mind….”Who said herbs have a spiritual purpose?” Look it up for a quick answer online and you’ll be hard pressed to find one. As with many things, it’s about having faith. Many of the beliefs we have come from folk lore or mythology. Others are based on the proof that we see in the work the herb has on the physical body and so we attribute the same effect to the spiritual self. It is well said that believing is seeing and when we see it works we stick to it. But we have to experiment with herbs first to find out what works for us. For example, there are many protection herbs but which will you use? What works well for you? Now that is a personal choice not a scientific one. We know that we can connect to a higher consciousness through meditation, dreaming, etc. Ancient people learned how to use herbs to get to those states easier and purposefully through, among other things, hallucinogenic herbs. These types of experimentations and the results of them which date back hundreds of years have been passed down over the years and tried, tested and used over and over again. Through this type of experimentation hard lessons were learned. For example, not all herbs are safe. Among a few baneful herbs is belladonna, hemlock, wolf’s bane, henbane, etc. Many of these were used in the early versions of witch’s flying ointments. When we listen to tales of things like witch’s flying to rituals people think of them like they see them played out on a movie screen, as images of witches flying across the air on brooms. In reality, they most likely were induced with a hallucinogenic that allowed their mind to travel to another astral plane. So when we hear stories we have to carefully decipher the true meaning of what is being told. Just like many of the herbs used in spirituality are refereed to under odd names that many people stick their nose up at. When a recipe called for a cat’s foot, a wrinkled old woman didn’t go and amputate a limb from her beloved kitty. That was the folk name for ground ivy. Some others include: blood as dragons blood, devil’s oatmeal as parsley, poor man’s treacle as garlic, etc….the list goes on and on. Therefore, reading and understanding ancient writing related to herbs and spirituality can be a grueling process without the right information. In mythology we begin seeing a connection between deity and herbs. Through this connection we can use herbs as offerings when working with specific deity or when requesting specific things. In believing that all things created by Mother Earth are alive we then believe that each thing contains its own unique energy. Therefore, by incorporating the herbs into our work we are bringing in another level of energy and allowing the Earth element to assistant as well. After much searching, I found a great piece for you all that explains the herbal/spiritual connection in far greater detail than I could at http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/herblore.htm. So to try and sum up a very vast topic, spirituality is a hugely personal experience, just as the use of herbs within our spiritual journey. We use what works for us. There are herbs that are known to be used for this or that but in their place a handful of other things can be substituted at will. It’s all about what makes YOU connect spiritually. When you think of love do you envision red roses or is it a pine cone? There are universal perceptions that most of us have but nothing is set in absolute stone. At Cynnamon Charmed we strive to created herbal blends, smudge sprays, etc. that are absolutely unique to us. We use things that are positively tested and proved effective for our friends and family over and over again. Many of the ingredients are staples that have been known in folk lore or mythology to have specific connections while others may seem completely odd ball. However, in addition to the herbs we offer, we also offer our own energy in the growing, harvesting and production of the final product. We know the importance of our intention and the importance of respecting the tool the entire way through the process. So even when you may not have the knowledge or the ability to go out and find what you need to make your spiritual journey magickal, you can count on us to do the work for you and bring you a quality product time and time again. Cynnamon Charmed Shop- for all your herbal needs
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Keri Nichol
Founder, Artist, Herbalist, and Writer Archives
August 2018
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