Charlie Rainbow Wolf
Tobacco is probably one of the most misunderstood—and perhaps misused—herbs of today. Like all herbs, it has its place in healing, folklore, and even the herb garden, although the latter could surprise some of you. It’s actually not that hard to grow, and although it’s a regulated herb, you are allowed to grow a certain amount of it for personal use (check the laws for your location if you’d like to give it a try).
Like other herbs, there are many different types of tobacco. They’re all a member of the Nicotiana genus, and they’re all loosely related to tomatoes, potatoes, and other nightshades. The most commonly grown varieties are N. tabacum and N. rustica, which is slightly stronger. The active stimulant in tobacco is nicotine, which is what makes it addictive. The dried leaves are used in cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco (or dip), pipe tobacco, and snuff. Tobacco gets a bad reputation as it’s linked with many diseases, but, used correctly, it too has beneficial qualities.
Tobacco is easier to raise than you’d think. It’s very hardy and will grow just about anywhere, although it does like well-drained soil and warm air. It takes about four months from seedling to harvest, and a mature plant often reaches over three feet in height. The harvest period needs to be dry for the crop to be successful. The seeds are small, so it’s best to start them indoors and then harden them off prior to transplanting outside. This way your seedlings are recognizable when you’re weeding your garden!
Apart from water when it’s young, and regular doses of fish emulsion or other good fertilizer, tobacco pretty much takes care of itself when it’s growing. Don’t let it flower (although saving some aside to do just that is interesting as they make a very attractive plants when blooming); nip the buds off as soon as they appear so that all the nutrients stay in the leaves—the part of the plant that is most commonly used. Remove any side “suckers” that appear too, for the same reason. You want one strong, healthy, foliage plant.
Tobacco doesn’t offer a lot in the way of being a good garden companion with other plants. Treat it like any other member of the nightshade family and keep it separate from tomatoes and potatoes, as they draw the same kind of garden pests. It does well planted in with cabbage and members of the brassica family: beans, marigolds, and nasturtiums. Gophers and moles don’t seem to like it, so it might act as a deterrent for them. A spray made from tobacco leaf “tea” is a powerful natural insecticide, particularly for aphids and centipedes.
Tobacco is harvested as a plant, and then the leaves are dried in pairs. This curing process is vital to the smoothness, flavor, and scent of the finished product. The leaves should be hung in a hot, humid, and well-ventilated place without touching one another, where they are left to age (we hung ours on the rafters of our attic one year, and it worked well). The smoothest tobacco is sometimes aged for up to five years, which is why you’ll need a climate controlled area if you’re really going to get into this seriously. There’s a fine art between keeping the leaves moist enough to age, but not so humid that they start to rot.
In folk medicine, tobacco was used as a pain reliever both internally and as a poultice. Chewing on a leaf relieved toothache, and sometimes tobacco was made into a paste for cleaning the teeth. Chewed leaves were applied to the skin as a treatment for snake bites or insect stings. It was smoked to clear out bronchial and nasal passages.
Magically, tobacco is a very powerful ally when it comes to divination and knowledge. It helps when folding or stretching time. It’s easy to alter your perception of yourself and see what’s stopping you from succeeding and what changes you need to make in order to manifest your bliss. It encourages dreams and visions. Some cultures believe that when used as a sacred smoke, tobacco lifts up our prayers and carries them to the ancestors and spirit helpers. It’s widely used in ceremonies of many cultures because of its link with mysticism.
A Samhain Ritual to Appease the Spirits
Samhain is the time of year when the veil between our reality and that of the spirits is the thinnest, and that makes it easier to communicate with them. You’ll need a pipe and some tobacco, or a cigar. (Some of you could already have a pipe that you use just for ceremonies.) Photos of your ancestors, deceased family, and friends—or even representations of your totems, spirit guides, or gods and goddesses will add to the observance, but they aren’t necessary. You’ll also want something heatproof to catch ashes and a lighter or a box of matches.
The best time for the ceremony is just after sunset when the sun has dipped below the horizon but there’s still some light in the sky. This can be done inside or outside, but there’s just something very primitive and connected about doing it outside around a fire. If you cast a circle, then do so to start the ceremony. Light your pipe or cut the end off your cigar and light it. Lift your pipe skyward, and as you do so, offer your prayer to the ancestors. Speak this aloud; you may improvise or write something beforehand, or you can say something like this:
I summon those beyond the veil
To hear my prayer, I shall not fail
To speak to helpers far and wide
To thank the spirits at my side
To know with you my life is blessed
When I’m awake and when I rest
My sacred smoke, I now send high
My words to carry through the sky
And summon those beyond the veil
To hear my prayer, I shall not fail.
Now put your pipe to your lips and take in the smoke. Slowly exhale, and as you do, turn the stem of the pipe (or the mouth end of your cigar) clockwise, so that it passes through all four directions. Raise the pipe to the heavens once again, and repeat your verse.
If you’re doing this with others, pass the pipe around, and while everyone else is offering their prayers, reach out with your energy and feel the presence of your spirit helpers as they come be stand with you on this night of acknowledgment and homage. If you’re working solitary, put the pipe (or cigar) down on the heatproof surface and spend some time in quiet contemplation of your relationship with your ancestors. When your ceremony is finished, dismiss any circle that you have cast. Leave the pipe alone, or place it (or the cigar butt) in front of any images you included in your ceremony until All Souls’ Day, on November 2. At that time, pipes should be emptied or the cigar crumbled, and the tobacco remains scattered on the ground—preferably where you had your ritual space or fire, or in another spot of significance.
Tobacco always demands respect, and it teaches you to finish what you start, take nothing for granted, and not to abuse or trivialize anything that you have been given. You only have to look at the side effects of habitual smoking to see what a harsh teacher tobacco will be when it is treated with disdain. However, if you pay the proper attention to tobacco and work with it as an ally, it can be a very loyal and powerful companion as a spiritual smoke, a herbal totem, and more.