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i: Editorial
A midsummer night's dream Kyra Pollitt and Ella Leith Here in the far North of Scotland, the summer nights are now as light as a winter's day. It can be quite disorientating. It's both easy and tempting to wake at 3am and begin to set about your daily tasks. So, this month we explore sleep, and how to get it. Marianne Hughes, Hazel Brady, and Rose Morley (Herb of the Month, Flower Power) look to the soporific powers of Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis). Dora Wagner (Anthroposophical Views) favours the hypnotic concentric circles of the Passionflower (Passiflora spp.). Our Artist of the Month, Lynn Imperatore, shares the incredible charcoal sketches and journal images that capture her exploration of sleep and the images seen in dreams. Meanwhile, Callum Halstead sets about a waking dream by planting his brand-new garden (Sage Advice). The wide awake amongst you will note the absence this month of a promised article on natural farming from Suhee Kang and Patrick M. Lydon (In Focus). They are also caught up in the whorl of a house move, and we hope to feature their article once their dust has settled. Already established in her small hometown in Malta, Ella Leith is relaxing in the summer heat, heeding lazy St. Lawrenz and other heroes of indolence (Foraging through Folklore). Chemists, too, are slowing down, as Claire Gormley explains in her account of a greener, lazier approach to producing chemical reactions in the lab (The Chemistry Column), and Ann King cooks up everything you'll need for a hazy, lazy summer night (Notes from the Brew Room). But this issue isn't all about drowsy inaction. Patrick Dunne sounds the alarm for politicians sleepwalking into climate disaster (The Climate Column). Our Editor in the Field, Kyra Pollitt, catches up with tireless Mo Wilde amidst the launch of her new book, a memoir of a year spent existing solely on a wild food diet. Nine Arches Press presents poetry by Gregory Leadbetter that snags on the strange and sublime, while Amanda Edmiston dreams of myth and magic in a drowsy summer's meadow (Botanica Fabula). But the final line of this Editorial must surely go to the great bard himself, Shakespeare. We hope, this month, you'll find time to "seek some dewdrops here, And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear".
Honorary Executive Editorial team Finance Distribution
Catherine Conway-Payne Kyra Pollitt, Ella Leith, Maddy Mould, Anastasia Joyce Marianne Hughes Senga Bate
Herbology News is printed on FSC certified, carbon neutral, recycled paper, using non-polluting vegetable-based inks, made from renewable sources.
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i: Contents
i Editorial Frontispiece Contents
Kyra Pollitt and Ella Leith Maddy Mould
2 3 4
ii Artist of the Month
Lynn Imperatore
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iii Herb of the Month
Marianne Hughes, Hazel Brady
10
iv Anthroposophical Views
Dora Wagner
13
v Notes from the Brew Room Flower Power
Ann King Rose Morley
18 20
vi Our Editor in the Field….
Kyra Pollitt talks to Mo Wilde
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vii Sage Advice
Callum Halstead
26
viii The Chemistry Column The Climate Column
Claire Gormley Patrick Dunne
30 32
ix Foraging Through Folklore Botanica Fabula Nine Arches Presents…
Ella Leith Amanda Edmiston Gregory Leadbetter
35 38 40
x Contributors Looking Forward
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44 48
Herbology News is against war
We promote PEACE, LOVE and HERBS 5
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ii: Artist of the Month
Lynn Imperatore
www.lynnimperatore.co.uk Dr. Lynn Imperatore is an artist/researcher who received her Ph.D. from the Department of Art and Design, University of the West of England (UWE) in 2015. She holds a BA from New York University, an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston). She has taught undergraduate and postgraduate art, has exhibited widely and is co-founder and co-editor of the HATCH/Drawing Research Project. Her Ph.D., 'Out of the corner of the eye (the 'I'): Drawing as disposition of perception' is a practice-based interrogation of drawing's potential to apprehend and articulate unexpected edges of perception. For Herbology News, Lynn writes: In his essay Oneiric Space, Gaston Bachelard describes our entry into slumber. No sooner do we fall asleep than space relaxes and falls asleep, too— doing so a little ahead of us, losing its struts and fibers, losing its structural forces and geometric coherence...A space that abandons its horizons, draws in on itself, becomes rounded and enveloped is a space that trusts in the power of the core of its being. A dream— as something we have seen —emerges from a terrain of imagination and is comprised of perceptual inputs that have not traversed the more familiar (waking) pathway from retina to visual cortex. Psychologist James Hillman (1979) considered the dream as a 'call from imagination to imagination and can be answered only by imagination.' From a lifelong engagement with drawing, I've recognised drawing's similarities as artefact of imaginal composition. One will find that even when drawing from direct observation, what transpires in the intervals between the looking out and the assembling of marks upon the awaiting page is a reconfiguration that externalises the interior imaginative response. Decades ago, I had recurring dreams during which I made large charcoal drawings, and so I began to make large charcoal drawings based upon dreams. I drew not in order to analyse dream content, but rather as a way to extend the dreamlike quality of image generation. From this process, I came to understand drawing itself as a form of waking dream— with its sensory detours away from ordinary consciousness which are not all that dissimilar to that everyday mystery of sleeping life. Then, later still, when my talent for sleep eluded me, I drew (upon) my unmade bed in prayerful entreaty for sleep's return. Thus, I approach drawing as a kind of explorer's journey, one where encounter between perception and imagination can expand understanding of what it means to see. Central to such investigations is a shared visual language within the sleight-of-hand of both drawing and dreaming— each an imaginative activity where impossible imagery can lead to richer apprehensions of interior life. Drawing and dreaming are practices of perception which discern and delineate qualities of the mysterious as embedded and embodied within the ordinary. These magical manifestations open onto broader imaginative territories— ones which wait just over the edge of a page or on the other side of the nightly nod into sleep. You can find out more about Lynn's work via her website, on Instagram @drimperatore, and also through HATCH www.hatch-drawing.org
References 7
ii: Artist of the Month
References Bachelard, G. (1992) The Poetics of Space. Beacon Press: Boston, MA Hillman, J. (1979) The Dream and the Underworld. Avon: New York
Cover image The Illuminated Sleeper Graphite and gouache on paper, 142cm x 107cm (56in x 42in) Other images Sleeping Around Graphite, ink, and gouache on paper, 107cm x 76cm (42in x 30in) Sleep Study Graphite and ink on paper, 142cm x 107cm (56in x 42in) Tintoretto's Alarm Clock Graphite and ink on paper, 23cm x 25cm (9in x 10in) Morning/After Silverpoint on panel, 20cm x 15cm (8in x 6in) HypnoGlossary p.1 A4 journal page recording elements of scenes, objects, or people observed whilst dreaming HypnoGlossary p.7 A4 journal page recording elements of scenes, objects, or people observed whilst dreaming HypnoGlossary p.9 A4 journal page recording elements of scenes, objects, or people observed whilst dreaming HypnoGlossary p.10 A4 journal page recording elements of scenes, objects, or people observed whilst dreaming HypnoGlossary p.2 A4 journal page recording elements of scenes, objects, or people observed whilst dreaming HypnoGlossary p.11 A4 journal page recording elements of scenes, objects, or people observed whilst dreaming
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Lynn Imperatore Sleeping Around
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iii: Herb of the Month
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Marianne Hughes, with illustration by Hazel Brady In an American study, Bent et al (2006) found that insomnia affects approximately one-third of the adult population, contributing to increased rates of absenteeism, use of health care services, and social disability. Their research found insomnia is more common in people with chronic medical problems— in up to sixty-nine per cent of people using primary care services (ibid.). Given such figures, it is perhaps not surprising that so many pharmaceutical and herbal products target these populations. Insomnia creates misery and people want solutions. An American fact sheet for health professionals (with over thirty-five scientific references) offers this account of the historical uses of our herb of the month, Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): Valerian has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. Its therapeutic uses were described by Hippocrates, and in the 2nd century, Galen prescribed valerian for insomnia. In the 16th century, it was used to treat nervousness, trembling, headaches, and heart palpitations. In the mid-19th century, valerian was considered a stimulant that caused some of the same complaints it is thought to treat and was generally held in low esteem as a medicinal herb. During World War II, it was used in England to relieve the stress of air raids (Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, 2013). The fact sheet concludes: Evidence from clinical studies of the efficacy of valerian in treating sleep disorders such as insomnia is inconclusive. Of course, the modus operandi of scientific studies demands analysis and the standardisation of measurements of 10
components. Yet plants are complex. Like all living organisms (including humans) they respond to their environments, and are liable to change according to their growing conditions. Thus, the search for definitive 'evidence' in scientific studies may sometimes impose limitations on the knowledge that can be revealed about the use of herbs. In particular, the experimental process can disregard the social, emotional, and environmental circumstances in which a person might experience health difficulties such as insomnia. It can, therefore, be useful to consider direct experience and the holistic approach of medical herbalists alongside scientific studies. Bartram (1998) outlines a range of reasons for insomnia. For each, he suggests a different mix of herbs, in differing proportions. For example, for 'insomnia from nervous excitability', he suggests Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), Vervain (Verbena officinalis), and Valerian. He pays additional attention to factors such as diet, breathing exercises, and the temperature of the bedroom. For Bartram, Valerian is: as effective as benzodiazepines in relieving anxiety states...and can assist withdrawal from Valium, Librium, and benzodiazepine addiction. Culpeper (1649) also recommends Valerian as 'excellent against nervous afflictions'. More recently, Herbert (2021) notes that Valerian is a sympatholytic herb— one which reduces sympathetic nervous system stimulation 'if taken by the right person in the right circumstances'. She adds, however, that Valerian does 'not suit everyone': those who have a heated constitution are stimulated by it. People who do suit it are generally those who are more introverted and self-controlled, at least on the outside; they are more
iii: Herb of the Month pale and cold than red and hot. They can often be very tense and may grind their teeth at night; they may have hypertension and sometimes heart problems because of their muscle tension. She suggests that those who do not do well with Valerian root should consider a tea or tincture of the milder flowers and leaves. So, does Valerian aid sleep and, if so, what is the mechanism? Ody (1993) lists the active constituents of Valerian as volatile oils— including isovalerianic acid and borneol — valepotriates, alkaloids and iridoids. She notes that Valerian is sometimes described as 'nature's tranquilizer', with a reputation for calming the nerves without the side effects of comparable pharmaceutical drugs. This is likely due to the action of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), a naturally occurring amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter because it blocks certain brain signals and decreases activity in the nervous system. The valerianic acid content of Valerian inhibits an enzyme that destroys GABA, thus ensuring GABA is available. When GABA attaches to a GABA receptor protein in the brain, it produces a calming effect and induces relaxation and sedation.
References Bartram, T. (1998) Bartram's Encyclopaedia of Herbal Medicine. Robinson: London Bent, S. et al (2006) 'Valerian for Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis', in American Journal of Medicine 119(12): 10051012 Culpeper, N. (1653) Culpeper's Complete Herbal: consisting of A comprehensive description of nearly all herbs with their medicinal properties and directions for compounding the medicines extracted from them. Foulsham and Co.: Slough Herbert, C. (2021) Sleep: The Elixir of Life. How to Restore Sleep with Herbs and Natural Healing. Aeon: London Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health (2013) www.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ValerianHealthProfessional/ accessed 15.05.2022 Ody, P. (1993) The Complete Medicinal Herbal: A Practical Guide to the Healing Properties of Herbs, Skyhorse: New York
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But don't confuse this Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) with the garden plant often seen growing out of walls all around the UK. That is Red, or American Valerian (Centranthus ruber). It's a completely different plant, and won't help you capture that elusive sleep.
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Lynn Imperatore Sleep Study
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iv: Anthroposophical Views
Lullabies Dora Wagner The God who made us in infinite pow'r, To cheer the woes of life's uncertain hour, Has placed amongst us two of such sweet birth That never brighter dwellers were on Earth. Solace in toils, in pain and care a prop, One is sweet Slumber, and the other Hope. One, when man, weaken'd, feels his frame at length Shorn of its vigour and embracing strength, Comes with calm pace, and pours his soothing ray, And all his pains in slumber pass away. Alexander Anderson, 1873
Sleep is miraculous. No other state fascinates us as much as this journey into other worlds. But sleep poses its own mysteries— we are not aware that we are sleeping, nor do we understand the secrets of transition between sleeping and waking. What takes place during sleep? What happens to the events of our days? Why are tiredness and wakefulness not merely matters of will? Why do we spend a third of our lives in such a vulnerable and unproductive state? In Greek mythology, sleep was considered the brother of death. Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Thanatos, the god of the dead, were twins (Lochin, 1990). This kinship framed sleep in a gloomy light. "Sleep is the image of death," remarked Cicero in 45 BCE. His view was based on the ancient assumption that the human body remained as rigid during sleep as it does in death. Over later centuries, it was assumed that sleep was a recovery phase in which the brain was simply 'switched off'. Today, we know that humans go through various active phases during sleep. It is only since the discovery of rapid eye movement (REM) (Kleitman and Aserinsky, 1953) that sleep and sleep rhythm research have developed into a discrete discipline within medicine, investigating this vital function in ever greater detail. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the desire to improve performance dominated investigations into sleep. As industrialisation and urbanisation increasingly overrode the
rhythms of nature, researchers sought to identify the mechanisms of sleep, in order to adapt human internal circadian clocks to changing living and working conditions. Innovations such as the cheap light bulb, the expansion of railway connections, and the invention of telegraphy significantly changed society's time patterns, blurring the boundary between day and night (Ahlheim, 2018). Such changes disrupted our biology— from the molecular clocks that regulate our cellular activities, to the synchronisation of behavioural cycles and the solar day that optimises our physiology. Our sleep-wake rhythms are interwoven with these circadian rhythms; light and darkness are the strongest synchronisers of our inner clocks. In the morning, bright, energy-rich, blue light stimulates our brain to wake up, while the orange-red light of dusk and, later, darkness lead to the release of melatonin— a hormone produced from serotonin —to promote sleep. Melatonin is mainly synthesized in the pineal gland, but small amounts are also produced in the retina of our eyes, and in the intestines. If daylight falls on the retina, the production of melatonin is inhibited; in darkness, the release is stimulated. Melatonin can bind to certain sites, such as the blood vessels in the brain or certain cells of the immune system. It lowers the body temperature and blood pressure, boosts the immune system, influences the release of sex hormones, notifies the body that energy consumption must be reduced, 13
iv: Anthroposophical Views and helps us with learning and memory (Walker, 2018). Sleep is much more than physical and mental rest, however. It constitutes our most important regeneration, processing, and repair programme. We could not survive without it, just as we could not live without food or drink. During sleep, we digest what we have eaten, our hair grows, our wounds heal, the immune system recharges itself, the brain actively spits out cellular waste, the psyche unconsciously processes what it has experienced during daytime, we gain energy for the next day, and we sort our memory anew. This is why we learn better and make clearer decisions when we have slept. To achieve all this, we go through several sleep cycles every night, each one lasting about ninety minutes and including four phases (Walker, 2018). The first phase, falling asleep, lasts for only a few minutes. Our body becomes increasingly relaxed, our heart rate, breathing, and eye movements slow, and we slide into sleep. We spend most of our total sleep time in the second phase— light sleep. Our muscles continue to relax, our pulse slows down, our breathing deepens, our body temperature drops, and our eye movements stop. Although the activity of our brain slows, it will experience 'sleep spindles'— short bursts of electrical activity lasting less than two seconds each —so called because, seen on an electroencephalogram (EEG), these bursts recall the shape of a yarn spindle. They are believed to play an important role in organising our memory.
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Deep sleep, the third phase, is physically the most restful and, therefore, psychologically the most important. To feel well rested, we need high quality phase three sleep. Our heart rate and breath reach their lowest points during this stage. We breathe rhythmically, and our muscle and brain activity are kept to a minimum. This is when most tissue repair, growth hormone production, and immune system optimising occurs. It is when we are likely to be least responsive to an alarm clock or someone trying to wake us. Dream sleep— the REM phase —occurs about ninety minutes after we fall asleep, and this is when our brain starts to become more active. Our heart rate increases, our breathing becomes faster, and we perform rapid eye movements under closed eyelids. Our muscles are perfectly relaxed and almost completely motionless as a natural protective mechanism, so that dreamed movements are not actually carried out. During this quite short phase— usually lasting around ten minutes — we dream particularly intensely, and are likely to remember dreams from this phase more vividly. REM-sleep is also important for memory and learning, but, in addition, appears to affect mood. The amount of REM sleep seems highest in infancy, declining in adulthood. Of course, everyone has their own sleep experience. Genes, age, and the internal clock all determine when, how long, and how deeply we sleep. Seven to eight hours of sleep a day is what experts advise (Walker, 2018). Yet, with its mania for constant accessibility, work intensification, increasing media
iv: Anthroposophical Views consumption, artificial lighting, and a routine that often turns night into day, our modern society suffers from chronic sleep deprivation. In a life without steady rhythm, difficulty in falling asleep, or constant waking, will cause wider health problems. Behavioural and medical measures that can help rebalance our circadian system and improve sleep are, therefore, increasingly important. To remedy broken sleep, anthroposophical medicine looks to Passiflora incarnata or Passiflora caerulea, usually combined with other plants that have proven effective for sleep disorders and relaxation, such as Oats (Avena sativa), Hops (Humulus lupulus), St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)— particularly for elderly people with heart problems —and the root of Valerian (Valeriana officinalis). In lush contrast to the bare, green-leaved stems, which can climb up to five metres, the striking blossoms of the Passionflower (Passiflora spp.) are aesthetic masterpieces. Reaching up to eight centimetres in diameter, they display shades of white, flesh red, and purple. In 1569, Nicolas Monardes, a physician from Seville, was the first to report on this remarkable plant, but it was the Jesuit José de Acosta, in his Historia Natural y Moral de las Indias of 1590, who attributed the symbols of the Passion of Christ to the plant. Admitting that it took a certain piety to recognise them, he nonetheless saw the ten petals of the flower as the ten disciples of Jesus (without Judas and Peter), the second blue corolla as the crown of thorns, the columnar ovary as the funeral pyre of the scourging, the three thickened pistils as the number of nails on the cross, and the five stamens as the five stigmata of Jesus. The symbolism became so popular that even Linnaeus incorporated it into his classification system of 1753, although the indigenous name 'maracuja', or the Spanish 'granadilla', could just as easily have been Latinised.
fruits appear. These, botanically described as berries, are spherical to oval, have a firm skin, contain a sap that tastes bitter to sweet or even sour, and hold many seeds surrounded by a jelly-like tissue. Just as Hops serve as an ingredient of heady but sleep-inducing beers, Passionflowers are traditionally used in their native South America to make the famous 'pulque'. In his Materia Medica Misionera of 1710, Pedro Montenegro considered this 'Granadilla de la Passion' (small Pomegranate of the Passion) an equivalent substitute for Hops (Anagnostou, 2000). There are other similarities between these two herbs. Both climb up suitable objects; both have tripartite, dark green leaves; both deviate from a more usual flower shape. Circles often represent unity, perfection, infinity, and the essential. In the Middle Ages, for example, a protective function was attributed to belts, rings, and bracelets. In Zen Buddhism, concentric circles represent the highest level of enlightenment, and the harmony of all spiritual forces. Circles symbolise the soul, and the self (Lurker, 1981). So, it is not surprising that a medicinal plant sporting such spectacular circular flowers supports transformation of confused, troubled, and blocked emotions towards a more centred inner stillness, harmony, and
It is hard to believe that each of these magnificent flowers only blooms for one day. New blooms appear every day over a long flowering period. After fertilisation, edible 15
iv: Anthroposophical Views peace of heart. European phytotherapy has long since followed the indigenous American tradition of using Passionflowers as medicine for calming and relaxation. Many remedies to treat sleep disorders or to relieve anxiety and tension contain extracts of Passiflora incarnata. This specimen is used wherever nervous conditions lead to discomfort; in cases of nervous restlessness, slight difficulties in falling asleep, nervous complaints in the gastrointestinal tract. In homeopathy, the herb is used almost equivalently, also as a mild antispasmodic, as a mother's tincture, or in low potency. As a home remedy, try a simple bedtime maracuja tea, or a bath infused with a few drops of five per cent oil extract of Passionflower. Remember that sleep is not a luxury but a biological necessity. So, pimp your bedroom and create feel good bedtime rituals. Snuggle into a freshly laundered, fragrant, soft pillow, pull the duvet over your relaxed body, and fall into a sleep so deep, so sweet with dreams that you don't even hear your partner's creaky snoring. The next morning, wake revitalised, well rested, and cosily, gently ease into your fresh, new day.
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Images Dora Wagner from Creative Commons Lovis Corinth, detail from Sleeping Young Woman, undated. Oil on canvas (public domain) References Ahlheim, H. (2018) Der Traum vom Schlaf. Wallstein Verlag: Göttingen Anagnostou S. (2000) Jesuiten in SpanischAmerika als Übermittler von heilkundlichem Wissen. Quellen und Studien zur Geschichte der Pharmazie Vol. 78. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft: Stuttgart Anderson, A. (1873) A Song of Labour, and Other Poems. Dundee Advertiser: Dundee Aserinsky, E. and Kleitman, N. R. (1953) 'Occurring Periods of Eye Motility, and Concomitant Phenomena, During Sleep', in Science (118, 3062) Cicero (45 BCE/2008) Tusculanae disputationes/Gespräche in Tusculum. Trans. Ernst A. Kirfel. Reclam: Stuttgart Lochin, C. (1990) 'Hypnos/Somnus', in Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae. Vol. v. Zürich/München Lurker, M. (1981) Der Kreis als Symbol im Denken, Glauben und künstlerischen Gestalten der Menschheit. Wunderlich: Stuttgart Walker, M. (2018) Das große Buch vom Schlaf. Goldmann Verlag: München
Lynn Imperatore Tintoretto's Alarm Clock
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v: Notes from the Brew Room
And breathe Ann King
This month in the Brew Room, we have been focusing on creating the optimum environment for a hazy, lazy evening— one that allows a blissful drift into good, deep, lasting sleep. The first steps are all about atmosphere and preparation. Wherever possible, follow a regular cycle of sleeping time and waking time, to enable your body to tap into its own circadian rhythm. During the eight to ten hours before bedtime, avoid further caffeine intake. Ensure your bedroom is a haven of relaxation, devoid of electronic devices with their detrimental blue light. Bring
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in a little posy of wildflowers, such as Poppy (Papaver spp.), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), to gently and reassuringly echo the season's scents. To deepen the sensory experience, use our Hazy Lazy Spritz as a room and pillow spray, before engaging in our Calming Breathwork practice. Round off the evening by sipping All Heal Golden Milk thirty minutes before going to bed. This combination of nervine relaxants and meditative breathing is a sensory lullaby, soothing you to sleep.
v: Notes from the Brew Room
Hazy Lazy Spritz There are several ways to make our signature blend herbal spritz, from creating a floral water using homegrown and dried herbs, to mixing a bespoke blend of your favourite relaxing essential oils. The latter method is the simplest— perfect for lazy days. 500ml of distilled or filtered water 30ml vodka or Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) 15 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) 5 drops Rose essential oil (Rosa spp.) 5 drops Chamomile essential oil (Matricaria chamomilla) Add all the ingredients to a spray bottle, and spritz as required. Calming Breathwork By consciously regulating our breathing patterns, focussing on structured inhalation and exhalation, we can calm down our autonomic and emotional responses. Each breath in and out should be five to six seconds in length, with a small pause of two to three seconds between the inhale and the exhale. Take around five minutes to perform fifteen to twenty cycles, and notice the difference in your relaxation levels.
All Heal Golden Milk For a big batch: 25g Turmeric powder (Curcuma longa) 25g dried Valerian root 25g ground Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) ¼ tsp ground Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) Per serving: ½ tsp Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera) 150ml milk of your choice Honey, to taste Mix the dry ingredients, and store in a glass container. To prepare the Golden Milk, add your choice of milk and the Coconut oil to a pan, and stir gently. Add 1-2 teaspoons of the blended herb mix, heat gently for approximately ten minutes, then whisk. The resulting drink will be luxuriously creamy, and can be sweetened with honey if desired.
Disclaimer No recipes are intended to replace medical advice and the reader should seek the guidance of their doctor for all health matters. The profiles and recipes are intended for information purposes only and have not been tested or evaluated. Ann King is not making any claims regarding their efficacy and the reader is responsible for ensuring that any replications or adaptations of the recipes that they produce are safe to use and comply with cosmetic regulations where applicable.
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v: Flower Power
Sleepy heads and busy paws Rose Morley
I think most of us have heard of Valerian (Valeriana officinalis). It's a great herbal addition to help anyone get a good night's sleep— but let me tell you a bit about how it benefits our furry friend, the cat. Add one drop of Valerian essential oil to a 50ml spray bottle with 2.5ml of vodka (to help the essential oil blend better), and top the bottle up with water. Now spray your cat's favourite toy with the mixture, and watch your feline friend come to life. Valerian essential oil can act like Catnip (Nepeta cataria), and it's very potent so you'll only need one drop. I discovered this accidentally. I'd made up a bottle, popped in to visit a friend, and wondered why their cat wouldn't leave me alone. It was the spray bottle in my pocket. But let's get back to the question of sleep. Valerian isn't the nicest smelling herb but, goodness me, it works well. You're most likely to come across Valerian as a dry root, which needs boiling or simmering in water for a good ten to fifteen minutes. You then strain and drink the liquid. Or you may have encountered Valerian tincture, used as a calming herb if you're suffering anxiety during the day, or to help you get to sleep at night— perhaps combined with Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) or Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla). But did you know that Valerian is also available as a flower essence? Valerian flower essence can have great benefit as a nerve relaxant. If you're like me and suffer with what seems like endless stress— working too much, trying to juggle lots of things all at once —Valerian flower essence can help focus and ground you in the present. When you're more focused, you're able to concentrate better and your mind doesn't seem to wander as much. Use Valerian flower essence by adding three to five drops to your drink and sipping when needed or, for more immediate help, try popping a drop or two onto your tongue. 20
As Marion Leigh (1997:116) suggests, 'be aware of the times when you get caught up in the buzz. Slow down, then stop and smell the flowers'. Get yourself a little bottle of this remedy and keep it handy. You never know when you might need a little flower power. References Leigh, M. (1997) Findhorn Flower Essences Handbook. Kaminn Media:116
Lynn Imperatore Morning/After
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vi: Our Editor in the Field
Kyra Pollitt meets Mo Wilde Kyra Pollitt
You may know her as Monica Wilde— forager extraordinaire —but if you've been enjoying her first book, The Wilderness Cure (Simon & Schuster, reviewed in our June issue), you'll now feel you know her well enough to call her Mo. I caught up with her on Zoom, just as the whorl of publicity around the impending book launch (23rd June) was beginning to gather real momentum. The Wilderness Cure documents the year Mo spent surviving entirely on a wild food diet. Back in May, she had very kindly asked her publishers to send a proof copy to Herbology News and when we meet, in June, she has just read our review— the very first review her book has received. I asked her how it felt to be a published author: Well, I'd been thinking about writing something for years, and the idea came from the question people always ask when I'm teaching foraging, which I've been doing for some seventeen or eighteen years now. People always want to know if you could live just on wild food. So, when Claire Conrad approached me and asked if I'd like to write a book for a publishing house, my answer was "Hell, yes!". Mo tells me that, although a couple of authors in Canada have documented similar undertakings, the only other book on the shelf in the UK was written by John Lewis-Stempel (The Wild Life, Black Swan, 2010), whose venture was strongly underpinned by his ownership of a large estate from which to gather his sustenance. Mo felt it was time to test out whether this could be done the hard way. I wonder whether starting the challenge in November was perhaps imposing an unnecessary level of difficulty, and Mo concurs: I'd originally intended to start the challenge at a different time of year, but that would have meant waiting into the following year and, as we all emerged from the first Covid-19 lockdown, I was so profoundly disappointed in the human species— Gaia couldn't have sent a clearer message, but here was everyone just resuming 'business as usual'. Black Friday was the final straw. I felt I had to do something.
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vi: Our Editor in the Field So, if Mo were to take the challenge again, what would she do differently? "Store more nuts!" is her resounding and immediate response. The horror of watching her nut store dwindle as her hunger grew is recalled all too vividly in her facial expression as she talks. "I've been planting nut trees like mad ever since!", she confides. She talks about the ideal diet and about how her vegetarian balance of green vegetables and carbohydrates was disrupted during her wild year, by both the need to seek permissions from landowners to dig roots on their land, and the challenge's preclusion to growing her usual garden vegetables. To be wild and vegan in Scotland, she concludes, one would have to mix the wild vegetables with a partly farmed diet. This would provide the necessary calories from root crops, instead of meat, to get you through the hunger gaps of the Scottish growing year. From here our conversation turns to what Mo's eating now. I'm keen to know how she transitioned back from such a dramatic diet. "Well," she begins, "I've already put a stone back on!" I have to confess I'm somewhat relieved to hear that, after her venture saw her lose almost five stones in weight. Her diet remains mainly foraged, and she's heading back towards the vegan end of the scale, significantly reducing the amount of fish and meat she found she had to eat to survive, supplementing instead with an organic veg box. She's still eating a little dairy and seems quietly delighted that she can once again enjoy her evening cheese and biscuits— albeit with the vegetarian cheeses she continues to make. I ask whether the reduction in meat consumption feels better, and whether her gut microbiome has readapted. She reports that, although she sent regular samples to the lab for testing throughout her wild year, she was only told that her gut bacteria had become 'super responsive'. Science was unable to offer any deeper analysis, it seems, because there's no access to a broad population base of people eating a wild food diet in the UK. There's simply nothing to compare her samples to. Mo frowns and recalls a statistic she attributes to environmental campaigner George Monbiot (cf. Regenesis, Allen Lane, 2022), that some ninety per cent of the world's food is managed by four global corporations. Humanity really isn't in a good place, just now. So, we ponder instead the genesis of some of the physiological benefits she experienced during her wild year. I'm particularly intrigued by the abundance of energy she maintained throughout the year, even as she shed such dramatic amounts of weight. Mo tells me that when she is teaching foraging, she often encourages her students to engage in a little "live juicing in the field", adding freshly picked Cleavers (Galium aparine) or Nettles (Urtica dioica) to something like apple juice. "The effect is almost always commented on". Her theory is that when food is so freshly picked, the enzymes in the plant remain alive at the point of consumption and so are able to pass that life, that energy, to their new hosts. I ask her what three tips she would pass to those of us who might want to edge more gently towards a wilder diet: § "Eat one wild food every day." This, Mo explains, will entail getting out into the fresh air, providing vital exercise. It will also keep you connected to the natural world and help to establish a "pattern of gratitude" to the earth. The "absolute benevolence and generosity of nature" was one of the great joys of her wild year. § "Never buy anything wrapped in plastic." Not only will this help you to avoid the health consequences of wrapping food in hormone-laden petrochemicals, you'll be making an obvious contribution to reducing the consequences of plastic pollution. § "Ask questions, question the answers, then ask more questions." The situation we find ourselves in is super-complicated, Mo explains, so we should avoid taking anything at face value. She confesses that the original manuscript for her book ran to some 140,000 words. Cutting it down meant sacrificing some of her "big rants"— about the way we handle municipal rubbish, for example. 23 As we wrap up, I wonder what might be next for Mo. Are there more books in the offing? She laughs. Right now, she's enjoying speaking at book festivals and lending her expertise to panels on wild food, rewilding, and more. As far as Mo is concerned, there are so many wonderful natural things in this world and she's happy to be helping others open their minds, explore, and fall in love with them. She
vi: Our Editor in the Field
As we wrap up, I wonder what might be next for Mo. Are there more books in the offing? She laughs. Right now, she's enjoying speaking at book festivals and lending her expertise to panels on wild food, rewilding, and more. As far as Mo is concerned, there are so many wonderful natural things in this world and she's happy to be helping others to open their minds, explore, and fall in love with them. She does mention a few requests for a cookbook, and hints that might be something she'll take forward. Of course, this is Mo Wilde, so "it won't be a traditional cookbook". I, for one, can't wait...
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vii: Sage Advice
Dreams and schemes Callum Halstead
When I sold my last house, I didn't know what sort of garden I would be moving to, so I brought with me as much of my plant collection as I could, just in case. After nine long months of searching, whilst simultaneously caring for the four hundred or so potted plants that I brought with me, I have finally found somewhere for us all to live. Let me tell you, that feels very nice. At long last, I will be able to get some of my plants back in the ground and enjoy tending a real garden, rather than something akin to the plant sales area of B&Q.
meticulously cared for, providing sanctuary for a man traumatised during the war. All that remains of his garden are his cold-frames, a very dated looking Rose with shocking-pink blooms (Rosa spp.), and possibly the old Plum tree (Prunus domestica). The rest has now reverted almost entirely to scrubby grass— more or less, a blank canvas. The garden is split across seven different levels, with some terraces more useable than others. Given all this empty space, and considerably fewer useable plants than I thought I'd have, the question is "what now?"
Most of my plants thrive in shady, sheltered spots, but my new garden occupies an open, south-facing slope on the Fife coast. This presents some interesting new challenges. The upper two thirds of the garden are above roof height, exposed to the salty coastal air and transitory squalls that blow in across the Forth. Right now, my shade-loving woodland plants are all cowering in the relative shelter of the small courtyard behind the house, at the bottom of the hill. They can't be very impressed with me.
I'm very out of my horticultural comfort zone, and it could take me some time to formulate and commit to a plan of action. I am, however, very excited at the prospect of creating something new. Here are some of the thoughts currently racing through my mind at this very early stage, as I begin a new relationship with this curious and challenging garden. As and when you find yourself in unfamiliar terrain, with a new garden to plan, I hope some of these suggestions might help guide your approach.
My new neighbours inform me that once, many years ago, the garden I've inherited was
It will take time to fully understand your new garden's microclimate, particularly if you are
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vii: Sage Advice completely new to the area. Some say you should do nothing for the first year and just observe the garden through the changing seasons, noting things like frost pockets, sun traps, and areas that don't drain well. I am not that patient. I will still look for these things, but the gardening will commence imminently. Before making any major decisions, though, it's not a bad idea to carry out a little bit of detective work to see what you have inherited. The obvious first step is to look at the plants that are present. Are they happy? Do they seem to be growing well? The better able you are to identify the plants, the more information you will glean about the growing conditions in your garden. For example, if Lavender (Lavandula sp.) is looking sick, while nearby Siberian Irises (Iris sibirica) are thriving, it could be that your new soil is moisture retentive. This will influence the types of plants you'll be able to grow. If you require a little help with plant identification, nothing beats someone with a bit of plant knowledge coming to have a look in person. Phone apps can be useful, but they aren't foolproof and can be shockingly inaccurate. I've had some success with both PlantNet and Candide. Candide has a community of users to help track down the correct plant name, provided you take a good picture. This app is also very useful for finding local gardens to visit for planting inspiration.
plot. Knowing whether the soil is acidic, alkaline, or neutral will help you select plants that are appropriate for the available growing conditions and, more importantly, rule out plants that will object to the wrong sort of soil. The further away from neutral your soil turns out to be, the more important this information will likely be for you. Armed with all of this data about the habitat and microclimate of your garden, you'll now be able to start making some sensible plant choices. When thinking about the garden's design and layout, start by considering what it is that you want from the space. Do you want it to be a private space, or will you be using it for socialising and entertaining? Will you need somewhere for children or pets to play? Will the plants be taking centre stage, or will it be the pizza oven? Make a list of your requirements and try to prioritise them. While you juggle the elements that you would like to include, pay attention to how the sun falls across your garden at different times of day. This can shape how you will use the space and
In the absence of much plant life in your new garden, look at what your neighbours have done with theirs. The chances are that what grows well for them will do well for you. Once you've identified a handful of plants that thrive locally, and noted anything that isn't in good shape, look online at the preferred growing requirements of each plant on your list. Knowing what grows well, and what doesn't, should tell you a lot about the specific set of conditions your new garden has to offer. To further enhance your insight, it's not a bad idea to look online for your local weather data, and to test the pH of your topsoil. Testing kits are very inexpensive and simple to use. If you have a larger garden, it's worth testing in a few different spots, as the pH can vary across a 27
vii: Sage Advice have an impact on where in the garden you might want to have your breakfast, or where you'd like to sit with a drink on a warm summer evening. With these things in mind, start making some rough sketches and, once you have a design that you are happy with, measure up the space and translate your sketch into a more accurate scale drawing. Next, I would suggest physically marking out the key features of your design on the ground in the garden itself, using builders' sand, canes or even the garden hose. Visualising your design within the space in this way is important. Your design may look good on paper, but certain elements may not translate well into reality. It's better to find out at this stage that your new patio is too cramped than once it has been laid. When choosing materials for structures and hard landscaping, simplicity is often preferable. Limiting the main materials to three should help unify the design and prevent it from looking too busy. You don't have to use materials that are already present in your garden and its surroundings, but taking cues from your environment can help to settle the garden into the wider landscape. For example, my first material will be local stone— an easy choice as both the house and garden walls are built from it. The terracotta pantiles of rooftops really inform the views from my garden, so I'll take terracotta as my second material. Weathered timber also features on the house, around some of the windows and doors, so this will be my final material. Of course, it's possible that there are already more than three main materials present in your new garden. In this case, you can decide whether to stick with them all or gradually remove the ones that don't fit your desired aesthetic. The steps that run the length of my garden are made of concrete and are in rather shoddy condition. There's no way that I can do without the steps and there's not much chance of me being able to afford a new stone replacement any time soon. So, for now, I'll compromise by hiding as much of the concrete as I can with plants in terracotta pots.
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I have a couple of book recommendations for further guidance through the process of creating your personal oasis. Both have greatly shaped the way I've approached the development of my own gardens, and both continue to inspire me each time I pick them up. The first is Dan Pearson's Home Ground: Sanctuary in the City (2011). This is the book for anyone with a small suburban or inner-city garden. Thoughtfully crafted, the book charts the development of Pearson's mid-terrace garden in Peckham, South London. As well as providing a fascinating glimpse into Dan's professional approach, the book is full of relevant advice that is very easy for the amateur gardener to apply. Although my coastal garden is very different to Dan's, his methods will still be very useful. It is fair to say that this title is a little heavy on the botanical Latin in places, so if you're a relative newcomer to the world of plants, it might be worth keeping a copy of the RHS's Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants (2016) close at hand. Those living a bit more rurally, or with more space to garden, might prefer Beth Chatto's Green Tapestry Revisited (2021). This is a recently updated and beautifully produced edition of one of Beth's classic titles, in which she and her garden team write informatively about the creation and development of her legendary garden at Elmstead Market in Essex. Embarking on an adventure with a new garden should be exciting, albeit a little daunting. It may take many years to create the garden of your mind's eye, so it's important to remember to enjoy the process of transformation, and to celebrate each milestone of your creative process. References Chatto, B. (2021) Green Tapestry Revisited. Berry & Co: London Pearson, D. (2011) Home Ground: Sanctuary in the City. Conran: London RHS (2016) Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants. Dorling Kindersley: London
Lynn Imperatore HypnoGlossary p.2
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viii: The Chemistry Column
The lazier the greener? Claire Gormley
If you ever carried out a chemistry practical in school, you are likely to remember the big, brown bottles reserved for waste materials, and the strict instructions from your teacher not to pour anything down the sink. An estimated fifty to eighty per cent of the materials left over after a chemical reaction are solvents that can be harmful to the environment, and must be disposed of by special means (Lim, 2015). Solvents are used to dissolve the solid chemicals that are needed to create the desired end product. When chemicals dissolve, the rate at which they mix and collide— making and breaking bonds in the process —increases, thereby speeding up the overall reaction. Apart from this initial dissolving step, these solvents are not usually involved in the reaction process; at the end, they're just there. This is the way that chemistry has been done for decades— but it is changing. Known as 'Lazy Man's chemistry' (a term coined by Tomislav Friščič, a leading scientist in the field at McGill University)— or, more recently, as 'Chemistry 2.0' —mechanochemistry is paving the way for a greener, safer, solvent-free
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approach (Lim, 2015; Friščič, Mottillo, and Titi, 2020). The solvent-free approach comes in many flavours, but, at its core, mechanochemistry is a reaction between two or more chemicals in their solid state over a few days or weeks. Although the process takes much longer than the solvent-based approach— Chemistry 1.0, if you will —in the end, most or all of the reactants are completely used up, and the only thing left is the desired product (Lim, 2015). Currently, the most popular methods for achieving this involve using shaker or planetary mills, which are both available commercially (Friščič, Mottillo, and Titi, 2020). Alternative methods make use of different additives to augment, direct, or enable reactivity between the chemicals. These additives include a small amount of liquid proportional to the reaction weight (Liquidassisted Grinding, LAG), a metal catalyst such as copper, adding certain wavelengths of light (known as Photo-Mechanochemistry, or Mechanochemical Photocatalytic Reactions), and many others (Friščič, Mottillo, and Titi, 2020).
viii: The Chemistry Column In fairness to Chemistry 1.0, although solidstate chemistry occurs in nature, it has not always been as possible to achieve in the laboratory as it is today. Advances in imaging techniques like X-ray Crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance scanning, and electron microscopy have enabled scientists to understand what is happening during these solid-state reactions in real time, as well as what is really being produced (Lim, 2015). Now that solvent-free methods for precisely reacting chemicals exist, it is time to move away from the wasteful and harmful approaches of the past, and towards a safer, cleaner, slower design. Easier said than done, of course, but the pharmaceutical industry has at least become interested in slow chemistry techniques, in the hopes of gaining better control over the rate of decay of drugs in pill form (Lim, 2015). Another strong selling point is the efficacy of mechanochemistry, and the reduced handling of the chemicals— meaning that chemists aren't required to do as much calculating and measuring out of the different volumes and masses of solvents and chemicals involved in the reaction. Since handling is where mistakes usually happen, eliminating solvents is ideal for working with rare, costly materials (Friščič, Mottillo, and Titi, 2020). The researchers at the forefront of this field know that it's an uphill battle to make chemists lazier. However, they believe that— with the creation of standard protocols for these techniques, with further education and encouragement for chemists interested in this field, and by building our understanding through further research —mechanochemistry can become the new normal (Friščič, Mottillo, and Titi, 2020). References Friščič, T., Mottillo, C., Titi, H. M. (2020) 'Mechanochemistry from Synthesis', in Angewandte Chemie, 132:1030-1041 Lim, X. (2015) 'The slow-chemistry movement' in Nature, 524:20-21
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viii: The Climate Column
Jackdaws and catastrophes Patrick Dunne
At the beginning of June, the British government and its regulators approved the new Jackdaw oil and gas field in the North Sea. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng tweeted that the field was originally licensed in 1970, and claimed that it will support Britain's 'energy security' while the government turbo charges renewables and nuclear energy sources for the future (Kwarteng, 01.06.22). The fact that Jackdaw was previously rejected on environmental grounds appears to have slipped his notice. The 'energy security' argument seems to be linked to the conflict in Ukraine and, on the surface, it does seem sensible. Of course we shouldn't be reliant on the whims of Vladimir Putin for oil and gas, common sense cries— just look at the current price increases, look at the cost of living crisis. It is obvious that we should produce our own energy in Britain, and here's a way to do it. But this argument ignores other factors that are influencing prices, and the precarious global energy supply systems. In the UK, many of our economic challenges are linked to Brexit: slowing trade, for one thing, and the loss of millions of workers— having made our European cousins thoroughly and shamefully unwelcome politically. But no Tory minister will identify Brexit as the problem. Just as important is the fact that the world has, in the past few years, turned away from the idea of endless oil and gas being the only solution. The rise of excellent activism in the form of Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, and the Sunrise Movement has added mass movement and social media savvy to decades of work by Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and others. This activism has helped to shift the collective consciousness regarding these energy systems. The biggest mover of opinion has arguably been the droughts, fires, floods, and storms that have been wracking communities in every part of the world. California is experiencing its worst drought in 1,200 years 32
(Rogers, 2022); climate-driven bleaching events have affected over ninety-eight per cent of the Great Barrier Reef (Rosane, 2021); the current heatwave in India is ravaging communities (Carrington, 2022). With all this climate turmoil, there is the likelihood of one billion climate refugees by 2050 (Ida, 2021). While the conversation about the climate crisis used to focus on saving endangered species like orangutans, now even mainstream newspapers are talking about a societal catastrophe taking place in our lifetimes (Harvey, 2022). But the British government is still approving oil and gas fields, in the face of comments by the Secretary General of the UN (UN.org, 04.04.22), and in the face of reports from the International Energy Agency (Farand, 2021). We are all old enough to remember the impassioned speeches by a certain Prime Minister Johnson at COP26 last year, about the seriousness of the climate challenge we face, about our responsibility for it, and about our ability to fix it should we so choose. But Britain has not chosen to fix this crisis. We have not chosen to seriously reduce our emissions, or even our energy use. We arrest people who demand that we insulate houses— incidentally, an excellent way to reduce reliance on Russian gas (BBC News, 14.09.22). We criminalise protestors whose howls of outrage make a bit too much noise (Sky News, 27.04.22). We quietly approve, late at night on the eve of a bank holiday weekend dominated by Jubilee coverage, new oil and gas infrastructure. The Chancellor did impose a windfall tax on energy companies in May (Stewart, 2022)— surely that's a silver lining? Unfortunately, but entirely unsurprisingly, there was a tax loophole in that policy which will allow oil and gas companies to avoid millions of pounds in tax on their investments in the future. Not long ago, when asked about the possibility of a windfall tax, the Chancellor expressed his concerns about frightening off investors from
the UK; here, he has taken from them with one hand— to much fanfare and positive headlines —while ensuring that he has given them something as good, or better, back with the other. When given the opportunity, this government has locked in more exploration, more oil and gas, and more Shell, more INEOS, more BP at the decision-making table. More emissions, more hot air, and less and less chance of meeting targets that were already hanging by a thread. There will be court cases (Glover, 2022), petitions, and protests— and we will need to commit to all of them, and be ready to fight. Get involved here: www.stopcambo.org.uk/ www.climatecampscotland.com/ https://foe.scot/ References BBC News (2022) 'M25 protests: Arrest tally over Insulate Britain action reaches 77', news story on www.bbc.com/news/uk-englandbeds-bucks-herts-58558355, 14.09.21 Carrington, D. (2022) 'Deadly Indian heatwave made 30 times more likely by climate crisis', article in The Guardian newspaper, www.theguardian.com/environment, 23.05.22 Farand, C. (2021) 'IEA: End fossil fuel expansion now for net zero energy emissions by 2050', article on climatechangenews.com, 18.05.21 Glover, J. (2022) 'Greenpeace plans to take legal action over UK Government approval of new gas field', article on www.insider.co.uk/news, 02.05.22 Harvey, F. (2022) 'Current policies will bring 'catastrophic' climate breakdown, warn former UN leaders', article in The Guardian newspaper, www.theguardian.com/environment, 02.06.22
Kwarteng, K. (2022) Post on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KwasiKwarteng/status/15 32026682491777024, 01.06.22 UN.org (2022) ‘Press release: SecretaryGeneral Warns of Climate Emergency, Calling Intergovernmental Panel’s Report ‘a File of Shame’, While Saying Leaders ‘Are Lying’, Fuelling Flames’, www.un.org/press/en/2022, 04.04.22 Sky News (2022) ‘Noisy protesters could feel full force of the law after new Bill is approved’, news story on news.sky.com, 27.04.22 Rogers, P. (2022) ‘Current drought is worst in 1,200 years in California and the American West, new study shows’, article on www.mercurynews.com, 14.02.22 Rosane, O. (2021) ‘98% of the Great Barrier Reef has been affected by coral bleaching’, article on www.weforum.org, 15.11.21 Stewart, H. (2022) ‘Rishi Sunak announces £5bn windfall tax on energy firms’, article in The Guardian newspaper, www.theguardian.com/politics, 26.05.22
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ix: Foraging through Folklore
In praise of lazy Ella Leith
This is a sleepy time of year for me. In Malta, in the tiny city where I live, the 10th August marks the celebration of the local patron saint, St. Lawrence. The ten weeks preceding the festa are filled with preparations and precelebrations. Trucks, cherry-pickers and bands of festa committee members trundle the narrow streets, carrying flagpoles, festoons, and richly embroidered pavaljuni with which to decorate the town. From first light, the city is filled with the sound of revving engines, beeping horns, busy hammers, and bellowing voices. As the festa falls on a Wednesday this year, the eves and mornings of the Ten Wednesdays of St. Lawrence can be particularly raucous, with the clamour of church bells, brass and pipe bands, fireworks, confetti canons, and shouts of "Viva, San Lawrenz!" I don't expect to get much sleep between 24th May and 11th August this year. For the festa proper, the pjazza will host a vast and chaotic street party from dawn 'til midnight, and a huge statue of the saint will be carried shoulder high from the parish church and through the town. The statue depicts St. Lawrence standing with the symbol of his martyrdom— a huge gridiron, upon which it is claimed he was burnt alive in 261
CE. "This half of my body is already roasted," Lawrence is reputed to have called out to his executioner, the Emperor Valerian (no relation to this issue's Herb of the Month). "Order them to turn me over, and you will be able to eat!" (Bennett, 2002:101). In a darkly humorous (or perhaps just tasteless) twist, St. Lawrence is now the patron saint of barbeques (thecatholiccommentator.org)— and also of comedians (Kosloski, 2019). I read his last words as a moment of defiant mockery of his executioners; for churchmen, it is evidence of a religious fervour for sanctification through extended suffering (Bennett, 2002). In the folk tradition, however, it has been attributed to the saint's lethargy— 'evidence of his being too lazy to turn himself' (Smith, 1996:102). It seems harsh to accuse someone of sloth while they're being tortured to death. However, the name Lawrence has been associated with laziness in several folk traditions. Variations of the phrase 'as lazy as Lawrence' appear across England, including 'to have Lawrence on one's back', 'to be plagued with Lawrence', and 'to have a fit of Lawrence' (Smith, 1996:102). In the late nineteenth century, an Oxfordshire man 35
ix: Foraging through Folklore reported that, during the harvest, workers would say of a man "as wouldn't work...[that] 'the Lawrence got 'im'" (in Gomme et al, 1902:179), and in Dorset: When one feels a loathing of work he sometimes cries: "Leazy Larrence, let me goo! Don't hold me zummer an' winter too." (in Barnes, 1970:77) Perhaps the association of the name Lawrence with laziness was retrospectively linked to the saint. There is alliterative resonance in English, and wordplay in the German version, 'der faule Lenz', which 'modified faulenzen, "to be lazy," and der Faulenz, "lazybones," to derfaule Lenz, "lazy Lenz"' (Smith, 1996:103). Smith continues: To idle about was "to serve lazy Lenz" (demfaulen Lenze dieneri), and from this sprang the fiction of a Captain Lenz, who commanded the ranks of idlers and on a hot day could prevail upon even the most wide-awake fellow to lie down in the shade and take a nap. Lawrence, then, is the 'patron or personification of laziness' (Barnes, 1970:77), who seeks to keep you sleepy and slothful. It is said that 'Lawrence bids high wages' for your work— 'with the ironic implication that in this instance the "work" is sleep' (Smith, 1996:102). A collection of early chapbooks contains the tale The History of Lawrence Lazy, in which the eponymous hero is the son of the 'Governor of Lubberland Castle in the country of Sloth' (Smith, 1996:101-2). From birth, Lawrence is bone idle: 'he cannot even open his mouth to be fed' and 'spends most of his time sleeping in the chimney corner, so that the servants secretly call him "Lob-lie-bythe-fire"'. Eventually he is sent to school, but: he falls asleep amidst some haycocks. He awakens to find himself abandoned by his comrades, but in the company of an old man, who gives him a red ring. Whenever Lawrence puts this on his finger, everyone on whom he gazes will fall into a deep 36
sleep that can only be broken through the removal of the ring (ibid.). Returning to school, he uses the ring to send the schoolmaster to sleep and avoid punishment for his absence. Later, he is turned away hungry from a gentleman's house, despite there being plenty of food, as the gentleman's wedding feast is being prepared. In revenge, the cook and servants are...put to sleep by Lawrence, who, having eaten, locks the gates from outside and remains to observe the consternation of the wedding party on its return (ibid.). Harvesters who refuse to share their lunch with him are similarly punished. Eventually caught and sent for trial 'in the townhall of Neverwork', he is defended by apprentices and students, who claim he is "one of the best friends we prentices ever had". He is found not guilty, and 'all Lawrence's well-wishers spend the evening in revelry and celebration' (ibid). It may seem strange that Lawrence's laziness is rewarded. As Smith (1996:102) observes, 'traditional lore usually gives short shrift to lubbers, sluggards and lurdens', and, while we might expect the virtuous to be rewarded, Lawrence Lazy 'never does anything "good" in the conventional sense. Even the magic ring does not come his way because of any kindness he has shown its donor'. Yet laziness is a recurring characteristic of heroes in folktales— especially of the English and Scottish archetypal hero, Jack. Many tales start with Lazy Jack lying in the soot of the hearth while his poor mother despairs of him (Williamson, 1990). In The Green Man of Knowledge, he at least plays cards with his dog while sitting in the ashes; in other tales, he is too lazy even to raise a hand for a cup of tea. Yet he always wins the day: with his tall tales, in Lazy Jack and the King of the Liars; with his foolish antics in Lazy Jack and the King's Daughter. In The Muckle Meister Stoorworm, another hero, Assipattle, is derided for 'spending his time pattling in the ashes' before going on to save the kingdom from a princess-eating monster (Erin Farley,
ix: Foraging through Folklore personal communication). Peter Leith, a great Orkney tradition bearer, 'thought one of the morals was that the quiet thinkers often end up saving the day' (ibid.). Alternatively, perhaps the world of the folktale is one where 'everything is turned on its head, justice is redefined...[and] those who did not always relish the thought of work...[come] into their own' (Smith, 1996:102). Is it merely coincidence that St. Lawrence was martyred on a gridiron and that these lazy heroes, from Lawrence 'Lob-lie-by-the-fire' Lazy and Lazy Jack to Assipattle, are invariably associated with the ashes and soot of the hearth? It's certainly an evocative parallel. Above all, 'what the name Lorenz and its counterparts in other European languages...call to mind again and again in popular tradition...is fire and heat' (Smith, 1996:103), known for making one sleepy. St. Lawrence's Day, on 10th August, is 'at the hottest—and hence, arguably, laziest—time of year' (Smith, 1996:103). As the temperature climbs, I'm certainly less inclined to work long hours. So, too, are my neighbours— and yet the streets are buzzing night and day with voluntary festa preparations, even while paid work is put on hold. And why not? With late capitalism's insistence on ever increasing levels of productivity and side hustles, I'm enthusiastic about embracing a cult of laziness and hedonism. As the weaver's eldest apprentice testified at the trial of Lawrence Lazy, if it weren't for Lawrence distracting the master-weaver with sleep and 'temporarily releas[ing]...his fellows from drudgery, they would long since have been worked to death' (Smith, 1996:103). St. Lawrence's 'lazy' refusal to turn himself over on the gridiron could be a parable for our times. After all, isn't it bad enough that someone's got your feet to the coals? No need to put yourself out to make it easier for them.
References Barnes, W. (1970 [1886]) A Glossary of the Dorset Dialect with a Grammar. Stevens-Cox: Mount Durand Bennett, J. (2002) St. Laurence and the Holy Grail. Libri de Hispania: Littleton, CO Gomme, A.B., Binney, E.H. and Jewitt, C.J. (1902) 'Harvest Customs' in Folklore, 13(2):177-180 Koloski, P. (2019) 'How St. Lawrence became the patron saint of comedians', Aletia aleteia.org/2019/08/10, accessed 31/05/22 Smith, J.B. (1996) 'Towards the Demystification of Lawrence Lazy' in Folklore, 107(1-2):101-105 thecatholiccommentator.org/pages/?p=5501 9, 'Patron Saint of BBQ', accessed 31/05/22 Williamson, D. (1990) Don't Look Back, Jack! Scottish Traveller Tales. Canongate: Edinburgh
Image Eve of the first Wednesday of San Lawrenz, 2022. Michael Richardson.
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ix: Botanica Fabula
A Valerian love charm Amanda Edmiston
Imagine yourself lying in a sun-drenched Scottish meadow. Come early July, it is humming with life. Peacock butterflies emerge from the Nettles (Urtica Dioica), tentatively getting a feel for their new wings. Swallows skim the air just above your head. Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) softens the banks, promising fever-cooling cordials to those that mindfully gather it, and leave it to infuse in syrups overnight. Glittering red beetles adorn the cloudlike flowers of Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), as a haze of hoverflies loiter above. The petrichor air vibrates warmly, humidity high— the grass still holding the essence of last night's thunderstorm. You run your hands through the verdancy: pink-tinged, white petals cover your fingers as you brush the 'Cat's herb', Valerian. Its sleep-inducing, dreamy scent is said to be the secret lure that called the rats to follow the Pied Piper away from Hamelin. It drifts around you, lulling you into a languid torpor. As you doze, you sense the soft tread of an animal approach, hear a velvet-soft muzzle crop the rich meadow grasses close beside you. You hear words of ancient enchantment humming in the atmosphere, and you lie half in a dream, half listening, beginning to wonder what is happening to you. Valerian is taking you to its liminal world. The hand of Hertha, Nordic goddess of nature, mother to twins Freya and Freyr, is said to have a special affinity with plants. She is gathering the fragrant stems as you rest on the earth: Valerian, to use as a delicate whip for the stag she rides to guide the wild hunt— a stag with a bridle of Humulus lupulus, Hops. The stag carries us deeper into a world where sleep beckons. A seductive world, created by a love philtre, the philtre of Valerian and Hops that Hertha is said to have used to entice her lovers. A love philtre that might lead even the most work-minded to contemplate an idle afternoon spent lying in long meadow grass in the arms of a lover. As the animal moves away, the spell breaks. You open your eyes, hoping to catch sight of a stag, of a timeless woman's figure, but there is only the swaying of the cloud-like blooms of high summer to suggest that anyone, or anything, has passed this way. Limbs still held in sleep, you gather a flower or two to carry with you. Valerian— said to bring peace and harmony if lovers argue. Held in the mouth, it creates true love from a single kiss. Maybe just a sprig, plucked from the meadow and added to tea, will do the trick— taking you back to Hertha's world, where you can lie once again in a soft summer meadow with a lover, and dream.
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me...all of this played havoc with my skin. Eczema bubbled, then started to peel in scales, lizardlike— but, as my student-clinic supervisor added tincture of Clover to my mix, it started to clear. I felt that I was shedding my skin and starting again.
Lynn Imperatore HypnoGlossary p.9
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ix: Nine Arches Press presents...
Gregory Leadbetter From Maskwork
Gregory Leadbetter is the author of four poetry collections: Maskwork (Nine Arches Press, 2020), The Fetch (Nine Arches Press, 2016), the pamphlet The Body in the Well (HappenStance Press, 2007), and Balanuve, with photographs by Phil Thomson (Broken Sleep, 2021). His book Coleridge and the Daemonic Imagination (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) won the University English Book Prize 2012. He has published widely on Romantic poetry and thought, twentieth-century and contemporary poetry, and he has written poetry and radio drama for the BBC. Five poems from The Fetch have been set to music for piano and voice by the composer and pianist Eric McElroy. He is Professor of Poetry at Birmingham City University. Nine Arches Press has over one hundred poetry publications, with titles shortlisted for prizes including the Forward Best First Collection, the TS Eliot Poetry Prize, the Ted Hughes Award, the Michael Murphy Prize, and the Polari Prize. They also produce Under the Radar magazine, a year round programme of workshops and events, and offer writer development and mentoring opportunities. Maskwork and The Fetch are available from ninearchespress.com/publications/poetry-collections
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ix: Nine Arches Press presents...
Sleepery To sleep, they lead you by the hand of your shadow from screenblenched light like a pregnant body to a hatchery fit for the last of your species. They do not speak but the soft wash of the billowing walls is steeped and warm with breath before a thought and you know you are already in the birthing phase of the farthest form of enhanced sleep after so long a gestation alone at the brink of the flesh you share with everyone and brace for the paradox you came for to come: the union with wakefulness that will make the new human. Your eyes open. They do not blink.
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Lynn Imperatore HypnoGlossary p.10
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Lynn Imperatore HypnoGlossary p.11
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x: Contributors
Hazel Brady's background is in IT, but she has always loved plants and since retiring has expanded her knowledge, especially around herbs. She completed the Diploma in Herbology at RBGE under Catherine Conway-Payne. Retirement has also given her the opportunity to develop another of her interests— an artistic practice centred in drawing and painting.
Patrick Dunne is an Edinburgh-based community gardener. Since 2018 he has, with his partner Katie Smith, co-organised an International Fringe event staging readings of the 2018 IPCC 1.5 Degrees Global Warming report, made lots of flat sourdough bread and camped, marched and organised as an occasional environmental activist.
Amanda Edmiston was raised in stories; her mother is a professional storyteller, her dad was a toymaker, her grandfather a sculptor, her gran a repository of traditional remedies and folklore. After studying law, then herbal medicine, Amanda began to blend facts, folklore, traditional tales, history and herbal remedies into unique works. Based in rural Stirlingshire, you can follow her on Facebook, @HerbalStorytell, and find more of her works at www.botanicafabula.co.uk
Callum Halstead is Senior Gardener at Cambo Gardens. He studied BSc Horticulture with Plantsmanship at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and brings this knowledge to bear both professionally and in his own garden, where he also practices as a keen floral photographer. IG: @callum_halstead
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x: Contributors
Claire Gormley is a graduate of Moray House School of Education and teaches biology and chemistry in Edinburgh. She earned an undergraduate degree in Biotechnology from James Madison University in 2017, and a MSc in Science Communication and Public Engagement from the University of Edinburgh in 2019. Claire is passionate about building positive relationships between communities and Science through education and engagement. Marianne Hughes began following her interest in complementary medicine after a career in Social Work Education and voluntary work in Fair Trade. Starting with Reflexology & Reiki, she progressed into Herbal Medicine. The evening classes at the RBGE got her hooked and she completed the Certificate in Herbology and, more recently, the Diploma in Herbology. Her current joy is experimenting with herb-growing in her own garden, in a local park, and alongside other volunteers in the RBGE Physic Garden. marianne@commonfuture.co.uk
Ann King has always dabbled in gardening in some shape or form and is now a horticultural therapist and graduate of the RBGE Herbology Diploma. She is passionate about facilitating nature re-connection and enabling its therapeutic benefits by creatively adapting knowledge and stories for organised group sessions: either outdoors, incorporating exercise; or sedentary, indoor, experiential workshops. You can follow her on IG: @annlovesherbs or at www.thymefornature.com
Dr. Ella Leith is an ethnologist and folklorist who studied in Scotland and now lives in Malta. She particularly loves folktales and the storytelling traditions of linguistic and cultural minorities. IG: @leithyface
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x: Contributors
Rose Morley qualified as a Bach Flower Registered Practitioner in February 2017, after studying the system for over two years. It was her longstanding, keen interest in alternative medicine, and her passion for flower remedies in particular, that led Rose to obtain Bach Foundation International Register (BFRP) Practitioner status. rose.morley@hotmail.co.uk
Maddy Mould works as an illustrator, designer and photographer in Glasgow. IG: @maddymould and maddymould.co.uk
Kyra Pollitt is a graduate of the Diploma in Herbology at the RBGE. When not editing Herbology News, she works as a translator, interpreter, writer and artist. She lives on the Isle of Harris, where she is busily planting and growing a garden. www.actsoftranslation.com and www.wilderorb.com Dora Wagner is a graduate of the RBGE Diploma in Herbology, and a Didactician in Natural Science. She also works as a Naturopath for Psychotherapy, and as a Horticultural Therapist. She currently lectures in Medical Herbalism at the University of Witten/Herdecke, and is leading a project reconstructing the medicinal herb garden of an Anthroposophic Hospital in Germany. dora.wagner@t-online.de and www.plantadora.de
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x: Looking Forward v
08//22: The Fragrant Issue If you've enjoyed these pages, be sure to catch our next issue, when we'll be featuring: • • • • •
A focus on fever With all your favourite columnists Plus, Herb of the Month: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) Plus, the art of Johanna Dollerson Plus, poetry from Red Squirrel Press Presents…
And more...
Herbology News is grateful for the support of Senga Bate, Beth Lucas, and our other patrons. Join them at www.patreon.com/herbologynews 48
