HERBS FOR CONNECTING TO OTHER REALMS, HIGHER BEINGS, AND VISIONS
Many varieties of plants are associated with death and rebirth, the Otherworld, and Spirit beings who exist beyond our normal awareness. Some can help induce a trance state to contact the Gods and Goddesses, while others will help connect you to the realms above and below our world through their roots and branches. You may also incorporate them into rituals associated with endings and new beginnings; they will ease any sadness you feel and gladden your heart with the hope of the wonderful things to come.
Apple
(Pyrus malus)
In many traditional myths and legends Apples are often associated with the Otherworld: “To enter the Otherworld before the appointed hour marked by death, a passport was often necessary, and this was usually a silver branch of the sacred apple-tree bearing blossoms.”1
Modern Druids make an “apple branch” or “silver bough” cut from an Apple tree and hang it with silver bells. The branch is used to induce a trance state and to make contact with the Otherworld. The Fairies love the tinkling sound of the bells, which are rung at the start of a ritual to attract them.
Apples also appear in stories that tell of contact with Gods and Goddesses like the one below from Lady Augusta Gregory’s Gods and Fighting Men that details King Cormac’s encounter with the legendary Sea God Manannán and his enchanted Apple branch.
(King) Cormac . . . was by himself in Teamhair (Tara) one time, and he saw an armed man coming towards him, quiet, with high looks, and having grey hair; a shirt ribbed with gold thread next his skin, broad shoes of white bronze between his feet and the ground, a shining branch having nine apples of red gold, on his shoulder. And it is delightful the sound of that branch was, and no one on earth would keep in mind any want, or trouble, or tiredness, when that branch was shaken for him; and whatever trouble there might be on him, he would forget it at the sound. . . . Then Cormac and the armed man saluted one another, and Cormac asked where did he come from. “I come,” he said, “from a country where there is nothing but truth, and where there is neither age nor withering away, nor heaviness, nor sadness, nor jealousy, nor envy, nor pride.”2
Following is another tale of a king coming across an otherworldly being with an Apple branch. This one tells of Bran, the fabled Welsh king of Britain, and a mysterious woman.
One day Bran heard strange music so sweet was the sound that it lulled him to sleep. When he awoke, there lay beside him a branch of silver so white with blossoms that it was not easy to distinguish the blossoms from the branch. Bran took up the branch and carried it to the royal house, and, when the hosts were assembled therein, they saw a woman in strange raiment standing on the floor. Whence she came and how, no one could tell. And as they all beheld her, she sang . . . :
A branch of the apple-tree from Emain
I bring, like those one knows;
Twigs of white silver are on it,
Crystal brows with blossoms.
There is a distant isle,
Around which sea-horses glisten:
A fair course against the white-swelling surge,—
Four feet uphold it.
When the song was finished, the woman went from them while they knew not whither she went. And she took her branch with her. The branch sprang from Bran’s hand into the hand of the woman, nor was there strength in Bran’s hand to hold the branch.3
For more on the lore, history, uses, and Beltaine practices of Apple, see here.
Ash
(Fraxinus spp.)
In Scandinavian sacred lore a cosmic tree runs like an axis, or pole, through this world and into the realms above and below it. This is the World Tree known as Yggdrasil, the great Ash tree that nourishes the Gods, humans, and animals, connecting all living things and all phases of existence.4
Sit beneath an Ash and feel its roots extending down into the Underworld of the ancestors and the sidhe. Send your consciousness up the trunk to emerge from the topmost branches, reaching the sun, moon, stars, and beyond. Feel the presence of the Sky Gods as you travel out through its branches. Leave offerings for the High Gods at the base of an Ash or hang prayer cloths from its branches.
For more on the lore, history, uses, and Beltaine practices of Ash.
Beans
(Fabaceae)
Since before Roman times, Beans have been associated with death, rebirth, and the Otherworld, possibly because each Bean appears to have a tiny plant embryo inside it, a symbol of rebirth. Beans were shared with guests and clergy at Roman funerals, and Bean dishes were traditional on the anniversary of a death.
According to English belief the Spirits of the dead are said to frequent Bean fields, and accidents are more likely to occur when Beans are blooming. To protect yourself from sorcery, you should hold a Bean in your mouth and spit it out the moment you see an ill-intentioned Witch.5
The importance of Beans to English peasants can be seen in many traditional rhymes. For instance:
When elum leaves are as big as a farden [farthing—Old English],
It’s time to plant kidney-beans in the garden.
And:
Be it weal or be it woe,
Beans should blow before May go.
You should plant four times as many as you think you will need:
One to rot and one to grow,
One for the pigeon and one for the crow.6
And planting Beans during a waning moon is essential for a successful Bean harvest:
Sowe peason and beanes in the wane of the Moon,
Who soweth them sooner he soweth too soon,
And they with the planet may rest and arise,
And flourish with beauty most plentiful wise.7
In British custom those who were better off baked “soul cakes” for the poor on All Souls’ Day, and the poor would in turn bless the donor and their Bean crop: “God save your soul, beans and all.”8
Kitchen Witches can incorporate Beans as a symbol of new beginnings and of death and rebirth. Why not serve Beans to commemorate the start of the light half of the year, the advent of summer, and the Beltaine season?
Baby Potatoes, Fava Beans, and Spring Garlic*53
2 cups (¾ pound) freshly dug organic new potatoes
1 tablespoon vinegar or sea salt
2 cups fresh organic fava beans
¼ to ½ cup cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh organic rosemary, chopped
2 immature green garlic plants, bulbs and greens included, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground organic black pepper
1 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water
Pinch of ground organic cayenne pepper (optional)
Soak the potatoes in water with the vinegar or sea salt for 20 minutes. Scrub them clean, rinse, cut into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.
Remove the fava beans from the pods until you have 2 cups. Set aside.
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove the potatoes from the water using a slotted spoon (reserve the cooking water) and place them in a bowl.
Pour the fava beans into the same pot of boiled water and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Run cold water over the fava beans to cool them. Using a sharp knife, slice through each fava bean and remove the skin (popping out each bean). Set aside.
Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the potatoes, fava beans, rosemary, and green garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, adding a little stock or water to moisten as needed. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasonings; add cayenne if desired. Serve warm or chilled.
Beans have numerous health benefits. They have been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, promote weight loss, and reduce the oxidative stress that can lead to cancers, especially pancreatic cancer and colorectal polyps.
Black, Kidney, and Adzuki Beans as well as Lentils improve gut health and reduce the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. It is known that a healthy gut biome leads to good emotional health.
Fava Beans, Chickpeas, Lentils, and other legumes can also help lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and heart rate and decrease the risk of heart disease. Beans are loaded with protein and B vitamins, making them a boon to vegans and vegetarians.9
Following is a list of the most healthful Beans to add to your diet.
Black Beans: Loaded with protein, fiber, and iron, Black Beans help lower blood sugar and can be helpful for diabetics.
Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans: High in protein, fiber, and iron, Chickpeas can help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer and help people maintain their blood sugar levels. Eating hummus, which is made from Chickpeas, may help diabetics manage blood sugar levels.
Fava Beans: High in thiamine, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese, Fava beans (Broad beans) may help with Parkinson’s disease, help prevent birth defects, and may increase bone strength and prevent bone loss. They have antioxidants that boost your immune system, iron that builds blood, and components that relax the veins, helping to lower blood pressure. They may also help you lose weight and lower cholesterol.10
Kidney Beans: Another good source of protein, fiber, and iron, Kidney Beans are helpful for reducing blood sugar levels.
Navy Beans, Haricot Beans: Rich in fiber, protein, iron, and B vitamins these Beans may help reduce cholesterol and the risk of metabolic syndrome. In one study children who consumed Navy Beans and Rice Bran were able to lower their cholesterol levels too.
Pinto Beans: These Beans have protein and fiber and can lower risk factors for heart disease in people who are mildly resistant to insulin.
Soybeans: A good source of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, Soybeans are high in antioxidants and may help prevent stomach cancer and other GI tract cancers; however this protective effect is found to occur only in women, not men.11
We all need to turn to these kinds of plant-based proteins, for the good of the planet. Did you know that cows belching is one of the most potent sources of greenhouse gasses?
CAUTION: Those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) should probably stay away from Beans, though the fiber in them helps with digestion and may actually prevent IBS and constipation. Be sure your Beans are slow-cooked and chew them well. Some individuals are allergic to Beans and other legumes, like Peanuts and Soybeans. Start slowly if you are not used to eating legumes and see how they affect you. To avoid gas, try cooking your Beans with a pinch of Cumin, which is a traditional spice in Mexican cooking.
Beans at Beltaine
Serve a bean dish at Beltaine to symbolize coins and prosperity. Celebrate the rebirth of nature and spring with a sumptuous bean dish.
Evening Primrose
(Oenothera spp.)
Evening Primrose is sacred to the Goddess Diana and to the moon. If you wish to connect with Diana, perform a ritual at night. Éliphas Lévi Zahed, a nineteenth-century French occult author and ceremonial magician, describes a moon rite that can be done in the spring and summer seasons when Evening Primroses are abundantly available.
On Monday you should wear a white robe with silver ornaments, with a collar of three rows consisting of pearls, crystals and selenites; a tiara yellow with the letters of Gabriel in silver. The proper perfumes are those of camphor, white sandalwood, amber, and cucumber seeds; the garlands for the altar should be of armoise (query, mugwort, artemisia), evening primrose and yellow ranunculus. Avoid with care anything of black color; use no cup or vessel of gold, silver only, or clear white china or pottery . . . and your operations must be carried out between one hour past midnight up to eight in the morning or between three in the afternoon and ten in the evening . . . but use rather the night hours.12
Evening Primrose is a magical beauty aid. Float the flowers in the bath to bring out your inner radiance and personal magnetism.
Medicinally, the herb is taken as a tea for coughs and colds and has some ability to relieve depression. To make the tea: Steep 1 teaspoon of plant matter per cup of freshly boiled water for 20 minutes. Take ¼ cup, four times a day, between meals. Or tincture the whole plant (see instructions) and take 20 drops, four times a day.
You can also add the whole plant (flowers, leaves, and roots) to salves, ointments, and poultices to treat rashes, itching, and wounds.13
Evening Primrose seeds are made into an oil that has a large amount of the omega-6 fatty acid GLA and seems to reduce inflammation and eruptions of hormonally caused acne and also has a healing effect on nerve damage in diabetics. When combined with fish oil and extra calcium, it can help increase bone density in people with osteoporosis, and it may benefit those with chronic fatigue syndrome. It has also been known to help people with dry eye, dyslexia and dyspraxia, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and rheumatoid arthritis pain. It may improve memory, and when combined with Borage (Borago officinalis) seed oil and olive oil it can relieve inflammatory bowel disease. These oils are very difficult to make yourself because you would need to process many thousands of seeds. You can easily find them in health food stores and online. Take no more than 3,000 milligrams of Evening Primrose oil a day, with meals, in several doses. To use the oil externally, spread it on the skin, leave it there for 15 minutes, and then wash it off.
The root of the first-year plant and the young leaves from the second-year plant are edible in the spring and can be steamed and cooked like spinach. The seeds can be added to breads. As always, taste a small amount before you gobble the rest, to see how your body reacts.
CAUTION: Some people can experience stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, and headache when using Evening Primrose oil. Avoid the oil if you are pregnant or have a bleeding disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, or other seizure disorder. Avoid it for 2 weeks prior to surgery and do not combine it with anticoagulants.14
Evening Primrose at Beltaine
Bathe in a bath of Evening Primrose flowers as you prepare to honor Diana in a springtime lunar rite. Place the flowers on the altar and wear them in a crown.
Fir
(Abies alba, Abies balsamea)
Lofty Fir trees are believed to be spiritual ladders in many cultures, and they symbolize the ability to see and travel far. The Tiwa-speaking people of the Taos, New Mexico, say that
in the dark and mysterious underworld, the womb of the earth itself, the people and animals live with their kind and loving mother. To the north, near the sand, there is a lake where the first people climb the great fir tree and emerge to populate the earth. With them come good and bad spirits who can dwell in everything, rocks, trees, animals, plants and people.15
For the Celts the Silver Fir (Abies alba) is a tree of immortality that retains its green throughout the winter. Called “Ailm” in the pre-Roman Irish Ogham alphabet (most letters of the original alphabet have a tree name), it is the tallest native tree in Britain and Ireland and symbolizes the ability to see far with prophetic vision.
Journey with Fir and symbolically climb its branches like a shamanic sky ladder. View your dilemma from its lofty height and gain a new perspective. Invite sacred Fir to enlighten and inspire you as you plan your course for the light half of the year.
You can incorporate the magic of Fir by harvesting the new spring growth at the tips of its branches. Make a mystical syrup to pour on chicken or other poultry, add to sparkling water as a forest soda, or make into a cordial with gin.
Fir Tip Syrup Made with New Spring Growth*54
You can also use spruce tips for this recipe.
2 cups water
2 cups raw organic cane sugar
2 cups fir (or spruce) tips
1 to 2 tablespoons organic lemon juice (optional, to enhance the already somewhat citrusy flavor)
Place the water and sugar into a pot. Stir and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Cover, and once the liquid starts to boil, turn off the heat. Add the fir tips (and lemon juice if you are using it) to the pot. Cover and leave it to cool.
Allow the fir tips and sugar water to steep overnight, then strain through a cheesecloth and bottle or store the syrup in a glass jar with a tight cap. It will last about a month in the refrigerator.
Abies balsamea, also known as Canada Balsam or Balsam Fir, has the usual antiseptic properties of the Pine family. The needles, buds, and young shoots gathered in the spring contain vitamin C and are helpful for colds, fevers, and coughs. The gummy sap is useful for treating these ailments as well and in addition is a diuretic and makes a good spring tonic. It can also be boiled in water and inhaled for headaches or taken as a tea for gonorrhea. The resin is antiseptic and can be used externally to cover sore nipples, wounds, bites, and sores.
The inner bark can be dried and powdered and used to thicken soups or as a flour additive and extender for bread baking. It can also be eaten raw in winter and spring as an emergency food. The tips of the new spring growth of needles, buds, and shoots can be used as a beverage tea or frozen for medicinal use all year.16
CAUTION: Some people may experience contact dermatitis from handling Balsam Fir, while others may feel nausea from ingesting it. Overdose can produce purging. Using it in food amounts is generally safe, but pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it as medicine.17
Silver Fir is warming to the body and increases circulation, thus helping with pain. The gum is used for leukorrhea with itching, rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, muscular pain and stress, depression, and fatigue. The buds, gum, leaves, and inner bark are all antiseptic, and the leaves can also be used to stimulate the immune system and act as an expectorant or a bronchial sedative for coughs with phlegm.
The essential oil is decongestant and antiviral. It is used in a vaporizer for colds, flu, sinus infections, inflamed sinuses, and fatigue and is added to massage oil for rheumatoid arthritis and muscle pain. It is also stress relieving and mood elevating.
CAUTION: Do not use Silver Fir essential oil internally. Use it only in hot water as an inhalant. High doses of Silver Fir can irritate the stomach and worsen asthma and whooping cough, cardiac insufficiency, and hypertonia (very stiff muscles). Do not apply Silver Fir gum or oil to acute skin diseases or deep wounds. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should probably avoid it.18
To make the leaf and inner bark tea: Simmer ¾ teaspoon of leaf and bark mixture per cup of water for 20 minutes. Take ¼ cup, twice a day, after a meal. To make the resin tea: Melt 50 drops of resin in a cup of hot water and take ¼ cup twice a day, after a meal. As with all wild foods and medicines, start with a small amount and see how it affects you.
Fir at Beltaine
Hang ribbons, sausages, and wooden figures on a Fir tree and make it your May Bush.
Oak
(Quercus spp.)
Pliny the Elder, a Roman natural philosopher, wrote in his Natural History a description of the veneration Druids held for Oak trees:
Upon this occasion we must not omit to mention the admiration that is lavished upon this plant by the Gauls. The Druids—for that is the name they give to their magicians—held nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and the tree that bears it, supposing always that tree to be the robur [Oak]. Of itself the robur is selected by them to form whole groves, and they perform none of their religious rites without employing branches of it; so much so, that it is very probable that the priests themselves may have received their name from the Greek name for that tree. In fact, it is the notion with them that everything that grows on it has been sent immediately from heaven, and that the mistletoe upon it is a proof that the tree has been selected by [the] God himself as an object of his especial favour.19
Most of Europe, from the west coasts of Ireland and France to the Black Sea, was once a vast, unbroken Oak forest. For the tribes of Europe, Oak was connected with the High Gods: Zeus, Jupiter, In Dagda, Perun, Perkons, Perkunas, and Thor. These Gods were all associated with high places, storms, thunder, and lightning. The fact that the Oak is a tree that courts the flash of lightning yet manages to ground it and survive may have contributed to this connection. Every Oak is a being that can take the lightning strike of a God and live to tell the tale.
In Zeus’s oracle at Dodona priests would divine the pronouncements of the God by interpreting the rustling of Oak leaves within a sacred precinct. In ancient times kings were held ritually responsible for the health of the crops, land, animals, and people. They wore crowns of Oak leaves as a symbol of the God they represented as kings on Earth. Victorious Roman commanders were presented with crowns of Oak leaves during their victory parades, and modern military uniforms are still decorated with Oak-leaf clusters.
It is worth remembering that an Oak will send its roots down as far as the tree is high. Thus Oaks have their heads in the Sky World and their roots firmly embedded in the ground. Sit under an Oak and open your third eye. Feel yourself rising through its branches to the realm of the Gods or down its roots to the dwellings of the ancestors and the Fairies.
See here for more on the lore, history, uses, and Beltaine practices of Oak.