Fraxinus excelsior or F. americana Gender: Masculine Element: Water Planet: Neptune It may surprise you to know the ash is a member of the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae! The ash is associated with wisdom, knowledge, protection and prophecy. Fraxinus, the Latin word for ash, comes from spear which may refer to its spear shaped leaves or because its wood was used to make weapons. The ash has been revered for centuries and is associated with magic and good fortune. Ash trees are loved and celebrated in North America, Europe and Asia. This immense tree , known to reach over 130 feet tall, was said to be the backbone of the universe. Norse mythology defined the ash as the world tree, tree of life, or Yggdrasil, representing the universe. Odin hung from the tree for nine days and nine nights to be granted knowledge and wisdom. The tree was said to be a friend of the sky, with its crown so high it rose above the clouds and roots that stretched so deep they reached the underworld. The tree was continually watered from a mysterious well that never ran dry and it has strong association with the oceans. Neptune, the Roman god of the sea (his Greek counterpart is Poseidon) is associated with the ash tree. Anything made from ash will offer protection from drowning. Ships were once built of ash, sailors carried solar crosses made of its twigs, and witches’ broom handles are still made of ash to enable them to travel across large bodies of water and keep their feet dry! If snakes are a concern, carrying an ash staff will come in handy! St. Patrick carried an ash wood staff to aid in driving the snakes from Ireland. Snakes are said to refuse to crawl over its roots, and one strike from a branch would kill one instantly. Pliny, Roman naturalist, author and philosopher, declared that simply circling a serpent with a branch from the tree would cause it to die immediately. Ash has also been used to cure snake bites by tying a circle of ash twigs around the sufferer’s neck. Scott Cunningham, a life long herbal healing advocate, strongly suggested if one was bitten, it would be best to get the snake bite kit and call a doctor. I agree! Vampires were also susceptible to the powers of the ash. It was one of five woods, ash, aspen, willow, juniper and the hawthorn most commonly used, to make the stake to drive through his heart. A cure for warts recommends sticking a pin into the bark of an ash tree and then into the wart. As the wart diminishes on the body, it will be transferred and grow on the tree’s bark. New born babies have been influenced and protected by the ash. The first time a baby’s fingernails are trimmed, if they are buried under an ash tree, the child will be gifted with a beautiful singing voice! Hanging ash over a baby’s cradle was said to protect it from mischievous fairies. A teaspoon of ash sap was given to newborn babies to protect them from disease and infant death. Another attribute of the ash is prophecy. “The even ash leaf in my hand, the first I meet shall be my man.” or “The even ash tree in my glove, the first I meet shall be my love.” In addition to carrying the leaves to find your special someone, you can put them under your pillow and they will bring prophetic dreams.
There are common names for the ash tree, such as Nion, from the Celtic word Nionon which means heaven. Another is Kingswood or KIng’s Tree, from the tree’s spring arrival and fall departure. The ash is the last tree to awaken in the spring and the first tree to shed its leaves in the fall. Like the king, it was “The last to arrive and the first to leave.” The majestic ash tree has been the source of legend and lore, spanning centuries and continents. It has inspired myths, and folklore, and it continues to provide us with protection, prophecy and inspiration.
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As much as I love being a Pisces, the herbs of Venus, representing the zodiac signs of Libra, an air sign (September 23 - October 22) and Taurus, an earth sign (April 20 - May 20), include some of my favorite herbs! Happy Birthday Libras!During the pandemic, I made 12 collages featuring Taurus herbs for my oldest daughter. My biggest challenge was deciding which herbs to highlight, since there are an abundance of herbs ruled by Venus. Some signs have a more limited selection.
Other Libra herbs, herbs of Venus, include African violet, apple, apricot, aster, avocado, cardamon, cherry, coltsfoot, columbine, daffodil, daisy, foxglove, goldenrod, iris, lilac, and violet. There are many more. Nicholas Culpeper (Oct. 18-1616 to January 10, 1654), a physician, botanist, herbalist and astrologer, is credited with identifying the planets and their zodiac sign affiliations. Each zodiac sign is ruled by a planet and the herbs under that planet’s influence are assigned to the corresponding zodiac signs. Other than Earth, the planets discovered before the 1700 were given the names of Roman deities. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto came after the 1700s and were assigned to planet who previously shared plants with other signs. Signs and their planets are
I’ll be including more on the Zodiac herbs in my blog posts and my e-book, Enhancing Your Life with Herbs, named after a course I’ve delivered numerous times over the last decade. I’ll be finalizing the illustrations and releasing it by the end of October. Watch for it! Phytolacca americana Poisonous Gender: Masculine Element: Mars Planet: Fire The post below is from the archives - September 2015 |
We're beginning our seventh week of the Artist Way class. Part of the course is drawing mandalas daily after each journaling session. One of the participants mentioned the "yantra". When I was in India, Swamiji had a huge yantra in his ashram. Memories! Anyway, it prompted me to revisit the yantra. I found this in Wikepedia. Being aware of the symbolism of the shapes will make constructing the mandalas more meaningful! |
Yantra (यन्त्र) is the Sanskrit word for a mystical diagram, especially diagrams or amulets supposed to possess occult powers in astrological or magicalbenefits in the Tantric traditions of the Indian religions. Traditionally such symbols are used in Eastern mysticism to balance the mind or focus it on spiritual concepts. The act of wearing, depicting, enacting and/or concentrating on a yantra is held to have spiritual or astrological or magical benefits in the Tantrictraditions of the Indian religions.
Shapes and patterns commonly employed in yantra include squares, triangles, circles and floral patterns but may also include more complex and detailed symbols, for instance:
- The lotus flower typically represents chakras, with each petal representing a psychic propensity (or vritti) associated with that chakra;
- A dot, or bindu, represents the starting point of creation or the infinite, unexpressed cosmos;
- The shatkona (şaţkoņa) (Sanskrit name for a Hexagram) is composed of a balance between:
- An upwards triangle which according to Tantra denotes energy, or more specifically action and service (seva). It may also denote spiritual aspiration, the element of fire, or Shiva. It is also said to represent the static substratum of the cosmos;[citation needed]
- A downwards triangle which according to Tantra denotes spiritual knowledge. It may also denote the creative power of the cosmos, fecundity, the element of water, or Shakti;
- A swastika represents good luck, welfare, prosperity or spiritual victory;
- Bija mantras (usually represented as characters of Devanāgarī that correspond to the acoustic roots of a particular chakra or vritti).
- Circle = Energy of the element water
- Square = Energy of the element earth
- Upward-facing Triangle = Energy of the element fire; energy
- Downward-facing Triangle = Energy of the element water; knowledge
- Diagonal line = Energy of the element air
- Horizontal line = Energy of the element water
- Vertical line = Energy of the element fire
- Point = Energy of the element ether
This was originally posted on October 28, 2012.
It seems even more appropriate now than it did then.
It seems even more appropriate now than it did then.
My dear friend Ramesh Jain posted this in his newsletter. Written by Dr. Bob Moorehead, former pastor of Seattle’s Overlake Christian Church.
A Paradox of Our Time . . .
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness..
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
A Paradox of Our Time . . .
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness..
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Relationships are not about holding hands while you understand each other……..!
They are about having lots of misunderstanding
and still holding each other’s hands…..!
Ramesh Jain
POORNA ANANDA
(Centre for Spiritual Evolution and Joyful Living)
Hyderabad, INDIA
Relationships are not about holding hands while you understand each other……..!
They are about having lots of misunderstanding
and still holding each other’s hands…..!
Ramesh Jain
POORNA ANANDA
(Centre for Spiritual Evolution and Joyful Living)
Hyderabad, INDIA
Monarda didyma
Scarlet Beebalm
Gender: Feminine
Element: Water
Planet: Mercury
The brilliant scarlet bee balm, is a perennial herb and belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. My fondest memories are the patches that grew at Camp Arcona, a much loved Girl Scout Camp in Mechanicsburg, PA. Sadly, the camp was sold for real estate development. Our beloved camp may be gone, but our memories remain. When day camp began in June, the gorgeous crimson flowers were always there to greet us!
There are two reasons bergamot has the folk name bee balm. One is bees are attracted to it, and another is the leaves are soothing when rubbed on a bee sting.
The flowers are edible and the petals add a tangy flavor, in addition to a splash of color, to garden salads and fruit salads. Add to corn muffins or corn bread for unexpected zest! They compliment sweet as well as savory. Use your imagination and make this versatile herb a part of your welcoming summer ritual!
There are two reasons bergamot has the folk name bee balm. One is bees are attracted to it, and another is the leaves are soothing when rubbed on a bee sting.
The flowers are edible and the petals add a tangy flavor, in addition to a splash of color, to garden salads and fruit salads. Add to corn muffins or corn bread for unexpected zest! They compliment sweet as well as savory. Use your imagination and make this versatile herb a part of your welcoming summer ritual!
In celebration of the Summer Solstice,
I made a wreath of some of the herbs currently in my garden.
Lamb’s Ears
Lavender
Rosemary
on a Silver King Artemisia base
I made a wreath of some of the herbs currently in my garden.
Lamb’s Ears
Lavender
Rosemary
on a Silver King Artemisia base
Lavender wands are easy to make and a Facebook friend just old me she has had one for
40 years and it still holds its fragrance!
Begin the wands immediately after the stems are cut so they will be flexible when you bend them.
You will need 15 stalks of lavender, ribbon (buy good quality satin - I used about 3 yards of 3/16 inches wide, but amounts will vary depending on the length of the lavender stalks.
40 years and it still holds its fragrance!
Begin the wands immediately after the stems are cut so they will be flexible when you bend them.
You will need 15 stalks of lavender, ribbon (buy good quality satin - I used about 3 yards of 3/16 inches wide, but amounts will vary depending on the length of the lavender stalks.

Wrap the ribbon diagonally down the stem, secure at the base of the stem with a couple of knots, then cut the ribbon.
Welcome!! I’m Mikell (pronounced Michael). If you love spicing up your life with herbs, recipes, decorating and crafts, symbolism and rituals like I do, I hope you’ll sign up for my newsletter and free Enhancing Your Life with Herbs e-book!
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Mikell
Mikell is a writer, artist and professional treasure hunter, finding the greatest treasures in the wonderful people who enter her life!