The Sacred Herbs of Spring by Hopman, Ellen Evert -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Image Title Page Epigraph Acknowledgments Table of Contents Song of Summer Foreword by Chris Aldridge Introduction. The Origins of Beltaine

Ancient Origins of the Festival Beltaine and the Celts Sacred Herbs and Beltaine

Part One. Useful Primers for This Book

Understanding Celtic Cosmology

Two Seasons Three Worlds Four Treasures Five Directions

A Primer on Fairies and Helpful Spirits

Traveling to the Land of Fairy Fairy Magicians and Fairy Doctors Fairies and Spirits With Whom You Can Bond Spirits Who Protect the Farm Plant Spirit Charms

A Primer on Herbal Preparation

Where to Find High-Quality Herbs How to Make a Tea How to Make a Salve How to Make a Poultice How to Make a Fomentation How to Make a Tincture Dosages Cautions

Part Two. The Magical Herbs of Beltaine

Sacred Woods for the Beltaine Fires

Alder Apple (Pyrus malus) Ash Birch Elm (Ulmus spp.) Hazel Oak Pine Willow Yew

Herbs of the Fairies, Elves, and Spirits

Ash Bittercress, Cuckoo Flower, Lady’s Smock Burdock Clover, White Clover (Trifolium repens), Dandelion Elder Elm, Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra), Ferns Hawthorn, May Tree, Whitethorn Oak Primrose, English Cowslip Thyme, Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Wood Sorrel Yarrow

Herbs of Magic and the Mysteries

Ash Cherry Chickweed Clover, White Clover (Trifolium repens), Ferns Mandrake Marigold, Pot Marigold Marsh Marigold, King’s Cup Mushrooms Rue, Witchbane, Herb of Grace, Herb of Repentance White Bryony, False Mandrake, English Mandrake, Wild Hop Yarrow

Herbs of Protection

Ash Bindweed Birch Boxwood Clover, White Clover (Trifolium repens), Elder Elm (Ulmus spp.) Garlic (Allium sativum) Hawthorn, May Tree, Whitethorn Ivy, English Ivy Juniper, Mountain Yew Marsh Marigold, King’s Cup Mistletoe, All-Heal, Bird Lime, Golden Bough, Holy Wood Nettle (Urtica spp.) Plantain Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Rowan, European Mountain Ash, Quicken Tree, Quickbeam (Sorbus aucuparia) Rue, Witchbane, Herb of Grace, Herb of Repentance Saint John’s Wort Sweet Flag Sweet Woodruff, Wild Baby’s Breath, Master of the Woods, Waldmeister Vervain (Verbena officinalis) Yarrow

Herbs of Purification

Burdock Cedar, White Cedar, Arborvitae Juniper, Mountain Yew Pine Rosemary Sage

Herbs for Connecting to Other Realms, Higher Beings, and Visions

Apple Ash Beans Evening Primrose Fir Oak

Herbs for Courage and Clarity

Borage Wisteria

Herbs for Love, Fertility, and Abundance

Apple Buttercup Clover, White Clover (Trifolium repens), Fava Beans, Mojo Beans (Vicia faba) Ferns Lemon Balm Mandrake Mistletoe, All-Heal, Bird Lime, Golden Bough, Holy Wood Rose Rose Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) Rosemary Saint John’s Wort Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) Thyme, Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Violets White Bryony, False Mandrake, English Mandrake, Wild Hop Yarrow Yellow Dock, Curly Dock

Edible Beltaine Herbs and Flowers for Magic and Ritual

Apple (Pyrus malus) Black Locust, False Acacia Borage Burdock Chickpea, Garbanzo Bean Chickweed Clover, White Clover (Trifolium repens), Dandelion Forsythia Lemon Balm Lilac Linden, Lime, Basswood Mint, Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Morels Mustard Greens (Brassica juncea) also Collards, Kale, Spinach, etc. Nasturtium Nettle, Common Nettle, Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), Oyster Mushroom Plantain Radicchio Redbud Rose Rose Geranium Sage Strawberry Sweet Woodruff, Wild Baby’s Breath, Master of the Woods, Waldmeister Thistle Thyme, Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Vetch, Common Vetch, Poor Man’s Peas Violas, Johnny-Jump-Ups, Heartsease, Love-in-Idleness Violets Wild Garlic, Bear’s Garlic, Ramsons Wild Onion, Onion Grass, Crow Garlic Wisteria Yarrow

Part Three. Traditions, Rites, and Foods of Beltaine

Traditions of Beltaine

Traditional Beltaine Customs in Britain Traditional Beltaine Customs in Ireland Traditional Beltaine Customs in Scotland Traditional Beltaine Customs in Other Countries

Rites of Beltaine

Sacred Water and Holy Wells at Beltaine The Goddess at Beltaine The God at Beltaine

Foods for the Beltaine Feast

The Beltaine Banquet

Footnotes Endnotes Other Books and Resources from Ellen Evert Hopman About the Author About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company Books of Related Interest Copyright & Permissions Index of Plants by Common Name Index of Plants by Scientific Name General Index