Wednesday 15 December 2010

Yule Yew Holly n Ivy

I met with Herb lovers for a walk in the woods at the weekend. Focussing on the Yew and Holly trees and the climbing Ivy.

It was beautifully clear and freezing as I stood beneath the Yew sunshine in my eyes so that the folks listening tro me were shadows in my vision, my hands shook as my adrenaline kicked in hehe I love talking about plants...

 Yews are very special to me, one of the first ones that I connected with was near the Claremont rd Road Protest in a little park/ scrubland that was under attack, I remember crying my eyes out as she got chainsawed down. 

Apparently in the Jurassic age the Yew was far more prolific across our lands and the main tree of our forests. She now protects and provides safe passage for our dead in numerous graveyards often predating the churches.

I love the squishy bright red berries they are super sweet n have a bit of a snotty texture but the only part of the Yew that isn't toxic so a special treat -just make sure you spit out the black pips... Tamoxifen the breast cancer drug is made from the Yew.

The Silver birch was our next stop on the walk -the Queen of the woods, delicate feminine beauty, I recounted my time at a yoga retreat where the whole class had drunk some birch bark tea before a class and then each and every one of us had run out to pee numerous times -strong volumetic diuretic that one. Dieter talked about how he tapped the tree on the beginning of March and over night it yielded over a gallon of sap for his wine.

The Holly laden with berries stood proud above us all as I spoke of His lightening conductive abilities and white wood - we all picked a leaf tore it and placed it in a jar and then covered with Vodka -this tincture will have anti pyretic (lower fevers) and expectorant (dissolves and brings up think mucous) activities but we also spoke of the Hollies magical qualities of protection and uplifting moods.

Nicholas Culpeper in his “The Complete Herbal” (1653) say’s that:  “the bark and leaves are good used as fomentations for broken bones and such members as are out of joint”.  He also considered the berries to be curative of colic. 

For most of us the sight of holly leaves and berries is inextricably linked with Christmas, whether we celebrate this as a secular or a religious festivity. Christmas brings with it many traditions and it is probably the one time when many of us still practice at least a few old folklore customs today

Though holly doubtless was, and still is, brought into the house for its shiny green leaves and berries, which reflect the light and add colour to the dark days of Yule, it has another significance as well. Christian symbolism connected the prickly leaves with Jesus' crown of thorns and the berries with the drops of blood shed for humanity's salvation, as is related, for example, in the Christmas carol, 'The Holly and the Ivy'. 
Yet even here the reference to these two plants refers to a pre-Christian celebration, where a boy would be dressed in a suit of holly leaves and a girl similarly in ivy, to parade around the village, bringing Nature through the darkest part of the year to re-emerge for another year's fertility.

The Ivy with her porous branches and binding ways has been adopted in the past by various cults who believed in Liberation through intoxication - her connection to fidelity and wine made us all smile, whilst shivering slightly..... 

A preparation of the leaves was once used externally to treat conditions affecting the peripheral nerves such as rheumatism and neuralgia, as well as skin conditions such as impetigo and scabies. Taken internally as a tincture it is purported to be effective against whooping cough.

All in all a lush day in da woods

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Angry Witch

I am so bloody angry so here is my morning rant –

woke up to this grey n white clad day, added loads layers of clothing to my body n started my routine;
6am up to making breakfast for Elektra, tidy up last evenings mess, texted at 8 from Harry letting me know that he is planning to leave school if its cold –ring Harry have a few strong words, hung up. Deep breaths

Chopped up the home grown impenetrable, Squash n pumpkin for soup, added the Austrian Speck (cured bacon) that Dieter’s Ma brought over to flavour the soup –all the while feeling weird about the meat, I am a hypocrite the human condition, where is my cave in the mountains, chopping it large, I can simply take it off my plate.

I make a plan in my clustered mind to go do my yoga n follow it by a delicious nutritious juice.

Upstairs whilst making the beds n clearing space to Yogarise I hit play on the HIFI –Hattie Hatstar (www.hattie.biz) blares out at full volume

–singing about -there should be a law against lifestyles that perfume their bathrooms etc, singing about supermarkets, singing about GM, singing about big agri, singing about all the things that I am so bloody angry about –

I burst into tears in downward dog n snot cruised up my nose, the salutations to the sun weren’t working in this state, I started star jumping instead shouting about how angry I am. Shouting about what I can do. Living by example is what I have come up with but any other ideas are welcome please.

I realised that a lot of the articles I have been writing have been extremely fluffy, I have been cautious of being too political for certain publications and forums and even in our own newsletter, BOLLOX -

I am disguised at the Medics and the Pharmacueticals – of course I am aware that there are ‘good’ folks within these establishments, like there are 'nice' policemen, but how about the blind, deaf and dumb ones that prescribe and circulate SHIT drugs that do Harm; when Herbs, nutrition and yoga/tai chi/acupuncture etc are an option.

A place with free health care -proper health care is my dream -I am in a place to be able to organise and offer that the only thing missing is the money to build and create a Centre, the money to offer HOLISTIC HEALTH CARE. Come on money here we are ready n waiting to spend you on good stuff.

ROACCUTANE now commonly prescribed for acne –but I have seen it prescribed for simple spots – SUICIDES, BIRTH DEFECTS & PYSCOSIS They put children on the birth control pill for acne and some are left on it for years.

STATINS – I see people with severe shakes, tired all the time, headaches – and its been linked to cancers –but the bloody EVIL devils simply pay for research that is totally shite science to cover their backs n sell more –pay doctors commission to put everyone on them

I will not start on Immunisations here leave that for later. But this video is good –
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-6696666502913965744#

Cancer –

http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Cancer-Inside-Mike-Anderson/dp/B00132XZFQ

http://www.cancerucan.co.uk/

Deep breaths I am feeling slightly better now

Boycott the supermarkets buy from your local shops, farmers markets -give em all your money,

if not try Suma –

http://www.suma.coop/

and organic veg boxes……

In the midst of writing this I was phoned from 'BEAT THE BURGLAR' ???? Do I want a free alarm system??? Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh

Love n Darkness

K x