The Herbal Homestead Summer 2018 Issue

Summer 2018

issue o1

THE HERBAL HOMESTEAD A SACRED PLACE FOR OLD SOULS

HOW TO SMUDGE YOUR HOUSE

crystals for healing moon lore www.theherbalhomestead.com

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.�

-Nikola Tesla

Welcome to

the herbal homestead BY: MELISSA NELSON

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f you are reading this then I can safely assume that you are an old soul. That you are a student of nature. Someone who feels their heart being pulled by the cycles of the moon and guided by the patterns of the stars. Where wind chimes are music and the garden is your sanctuary.

We are the mothers, daughters, sisters, friends - who are trying to navigate the modern world. We live in strange times. The entire canon of

human knowledge is available to us at anytime. Everything is moving so fast. Is it no wonder that so many of us are trying to find a connection to our past?

That is what The Herbal Homestead is. It is a place for us to explore the old wives’ tales. To examine the folklore of generations past. To reconnect to nature. To celebrate history and community.

So, come on in and let’s get started!

crystals fo

or healing

BY: MELISSA NELSON

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remember the first time I started thinking about crystals as a tool to help my body and mind heal. I was visiting the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. I had just seen the famous Hope Diamond and as I walked passed the exhibit I was drawn into the crystal, mineral and gemstone exhibit. There were thousands of crystals and you could feel the vibration of the room change. It was then in that moment that I thought that there might be something to this whole crystal fad.

Albert Einstein said: “Everything is Energy and that is all there is to it. Match the frequency of the re-

ality you want and you can not help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.�

Crystals have been used to aid in healing the body and the mind for thousands of years. The ancient Sumerians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Chinese - all civilizations that harnessed the healing power of crystals.

And now today - we are seeing a resurgence people using crystals to heal the mental, emotional, or spiritual ailments that we are susceptible to in this modern world.

AMETHYST

KNOWN AS “THE ALL PURPOSE STONE” IS BEST USED TO ENHANCE SPIRITUALITY AND PROTECTION. IT HELPS WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY AND PROMOTES POSITIVITY. USE WITH THE FOLLOWING AFFIRMATION:

I HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE THE LIFE I DESIRE.

CLEAR QUARTZ

KNOWN AS “THE MASTER HEALER” AMPLIFIES YOUR THOUGHTS, ENERGIES AND INTENTIONS. GREAT TO USE WITH OTHER STONES AS AN AMPLIFIER. HELPS WITH THE HEALING AND REPAIR OF THE BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT. USE WITH THE FOLLOWING AFFIRMATION:

MY BODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO TO HEAL ITSELF. EVERY ONE OF MY CELLS IS FILLED WITH HEALTH, WELLNESS AND VITALITY. I AM THE MANIFESTATION OF POSITIVITY, ENERGY AND WELL BEING.

CITRINE

KNOWN AS “THE MERCHANTS STONE” BECAUSE IT HELPS PROMOTE FINANCIAL ABUNDANCE. IT IS ALSO THE STONE OF HAPPINESS AND LIGHT. THE MOST IMPORTANT STONE FOR ACHIEVING GOALS AND MANIFESTATION. USE WITH THE FOLLOWING AFFIRMATION:

I AM OPEN AND READY TO RECEIVE INFINITE BLESSINGS FROM THE UNIVERSE.

ROSE QUARTZ

KNOWN AS THE STONE OF LOVE. IT SYMBOLIZES LOVE, HARMONY AND PEACE. IT HELPS OPEN YOUR HEART TO GIVE AND RECEIVE LOVE. IT IS A STONE OF FORGIVENESS AND MOVING ON. USE WITH THE FOLLOWING AFFIRMATION:

I AM A MAGNET FOR LOVE, ABUNDANCE, MIRACLES AND TRUTH.

CRYSTAL FINDS INCREASE YOUR VIBRATION

Healing Crystals and Stones Chakra Set AURAMORE/Etsy $18

Amethyst Crystal Air Plant AirFriend/Etsy $19

Lavender Spirit Quartz Druzy Necklace friedasophie/Etsy $69

Smudge Kit-CALM bundle JPlankDesigns/Etsy $17

the magic of bay leaves BY: MELISSA NELSON

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re you feeling stressed?

Are you in a bad mood?

Maybe you need to focus.

I have just the thing! Go to your kitchen cabinet and grab some bay leaves. You know the ones. You use them in soups, stews and chili.

Bay trees originated in Asia and spread to the Mediterranean. Now, it is grown everywhere the weather will allow. Throughout the ages, bay leaves have been used for “magical” properties. According to legend, the Delphi Oracle sniffed the burning bay leaves to induce visionary trances.

Once you have the bay leaves, get a lighter and a bowl. Light up one of the bay leaves and let the smoke drift through the room. The smoke has a calming effect. It relaxes your body and mind. Allowing you to focus on the task at hand.

If you are feeling inspired, write your wishes or intentions right onto the bay leaves before burning them.

Watch the smoke carry them into the universe.

It’s just like blowing the candles out on your birthday cake but smells much better!

Smudging your house

Story By: Ritafaye Sparks! • photography: Melissa Nelson

SMUDGING YOUR SPACE HELPS BRING FEELINGS OF PEACE, JOY, SAFETY, POSITIVITY, CREATIVITY, REST, LIGHT, AND BALANCE.

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mudging, or the ritual art of burning herbs, resins, and incense for cleansing, healing, creating sacred space, and other spiritual purposes, is common to many cultures of the world and across ages of time.

Druids considered sage a sacred herb and burned it, along with oak moss, for medicinal purposes. Native Americans burn sage, cedar, tobacco, and other natural substances in order to placate spirits or bestow blessings. The Babylonians made extensive use of incense during prayers or while divining oracles. Hindus and Buddhists burn incense and herbs in their rituals and festivals. Incense, in the form of frankincense and myrrh,

was presented to the infant Jesus by the three astrologers from the East. Modern pagans use sage, Palo Santo wood, sweetgrass, and other herbs for smudging to rid houses of sickness and negative energy or spirits.

Traditionally, white sage is used to drive out evil spirits or negative thoughts and feelings. Other substances used are cedar for purification; sweetgrass for blessing and goodness; lavender for restoration of balance; mugwort for psychic awareness; white copol for cleansing; and tobacco for connection to Spirit.

Smudging is effective for house blessings, depression, anger and resentment, arguments, and ill-

ness. The space or the person can be smudged, as needed, as well as objects such as crystals, altars, sacred texts, or any other spiritual item. Why smudging, though? Or, really, why SMOKE? The smoke is representative of the air elemental, which symbolizes communication, inspiration, and connection to Spirit.

The smoke not only symbolizes the sacredness of the person or occasion (a house blessing, for example), but also carries their prayers up to Spirit. The smoke attaches itself to negative energy and takes the negative energy with it as it rises, re-

leasing it into another space to be regenerated (Science class taught us that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, so it has to go somewhere...). Other components of smudging represent the basic elements:

A shell, representative of the element of Water. Most folks these days use an abalone shell, and you certainly want one large enough to hold your herbs/resins/incense, plus some sand, salt, or earth for heat dispersal. Always burn on a safe surface! If you don’t have a shell, any suitably heat-safe container will do, a

chalice of your choosing, if you will.

Unlit herbs, incense, or resin, representative of the element of Earth. These can be obtained online, in local shops, your kitchen, or in nature around you.

Fire, representative of the element of, well, Fire. Remember to burn safely and with all needed supervision. I prefer to use a candle flame for smudging.

Smoke, representative of the element of Air, from the lit smudging materials.

Once lit, the elements are transmuted to the fifth element: life

energy. No, this has naught to do with Leeloo’s Multipass.

Before you begin, make sure the area is well ventilated. Open doors and windows if possible. Not only does the negative energy need a place to go, but this also ensures that everyone present can continue to breathe freely and enjoy optimal after-smudging survival. NEVER leave burning smudge materials unattended, for any reason. Remove any unnecessary clutter from the area, and it’s a good idea to vacuum and dust. Meditate and focus on your intention. Gather all of your

materials. When choosing smudge materials, it’s helpful to be mindful of who else will be at the smudging.

Some people are sensitive or allergic to sage, cedar, and other materials.

Always have a fireproof container and fire extinguisher handy for emergencies. And, as my Mama would say, “Y’all act like you’ve got good sense!”

Once you’re ready to begin, bring your focus back to your intention, holding it firmly in your mind.

Be as clear and specific as you can.

You may want to invite any helpful Spirits for guidance. Ready to light

up? It’s easier to light your smudge materials from a candle flame, as it’s stronger and steadier than using a lighter. Once there’s a good flame (no need for conflagration), wave the flame with a feather or your hand to put it out; it’s the smoke you’re after here. While the herbs smolder, keep your intention focused in your mind, and allow the smoke to circle in the air. Concentrate on corners and behind doors, where negative energy tends to collect. Envision the smoke lifting away the negativity, sickness, or psychic pain. You can speak affirmations and blessings as

desired, simple or complex, such as, “I release all negative energy from this space. May it now be filled with peace, love, and light.” If you are working in a space with stairs, work upstairs, then down, directing the smoke towards the open doors.

Don’t forget to smudge the stairs!

Once you’re done, tamp out the unburned smudge material in sand or soil. Always make sure the material is extinguished COMPLETELY before leaving the space.

Let all of the smoke dissipate from the space and close any doors or windows. If you have any unburned smudging material left, don’t throw it out; save it to use for the next smudging!

With few necessary supplies, smudging can be carried out quickly and effectively, at any time, and without special training or dogma.

You can even invite a friend along to help if you want. You can smudge any time you like, just to lift your mood, or for needed occasions, such as a home blessing, illness, full moon, new job, or after a breakup or argument. Smudging your space helps bring feelings of peace, joy, safety, positivity, creativity, rest, light, and balance.

Note: If you are sensitive to smoke or need to smudge a smoke-free area (like your office cubicle), try making a smudge mist using spring water and a few drops of organic sage essential oil. Shake it well and use it as you would the smoking plant.

Smudging Prayer May your hands be cleansed, that they create beautiful things.

May your feet be cleansed, that they might take you where you most need to be.

May your heart be cleansed, that you might hear its messages clearly.

May your throat be cleansed, that you might speak rightly when words are needed.

May your eyes be cleansed, that you might see the signs and wonders of the world.

May this person and space be washed clean by the smoke of these fragrant plants.

And may that same smoke carry our prayers, spiraling, to the heavens.

LUNAR FINDS ADORN YOUR HOME WITH THE BEAUTY OF THE MOON

Moon Shelf IndoorSurvivalCo/Etsy $29

Tarot Tapestry Urban Outfitters $39

Moon Lamp Amazon $19.99

Full Celestial Moon Phase, Stained Glass TheSweetKarmaBar/Etsy $79.00

Moon Necklace MARIAELA/Etsy $29.50

Moon Phases Wall Hanging Brass CarmelsArt/Etsy $19.99

FIND MEANING IN

THE NEXT TIME YOU HAVE YOUR PLANNER OPEN AND YOU OF THE MOON MAKE A POINT TO INVEST A LUNAR PRACTI

NEW MOON SET INTENTIONS NEW BEGINNINGS PLANT SEEDS FRESH AND POSITIVE HOPE AND FAITH NEW RELATIONSHIPS

WAXING MOON GROWTH HEALING LEARNING ACCOMPLISHMENTS CREATIVITY COURAGE CHANGE

THE LUNAR PHASES

U SEE THE DAYS OF THE MONTH LABELED WITH THE PHASE ICE OF SELF CARE DURING EACH PHASE.

FULL MOON IDEAS HARVEST FULFILLMENT PROTECTION ACHEIVEMENT CULMINATE

WANING MOON LET GO CLEANSING MAKING SPACE CLOSURE OPENING UP BREAKING BAD HABITS

MOON LORE BY: RITAFAYE SPARKS!

THE MOON WAS ACCEPTED TO BE A SORT OF A SOUL SUPERHIGHWAY THAT EACH OF OUR MOST ANCIENT ANCESTORS BELIEVED WE ALL TRAVEL.

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here are so many reasons to look forward to summer, right? There’s flip flops, barbecues, swimming, gardening, frolicking and lollygagging, and perhaps more than a few long nights spent gazing at the sky while the Earth respires around us. Since time immemorial, the night sky has inspired poets, astronomers, dreamers, and lovers to lift up their eyes to the wonders of the heavens and expound through art and literature upon the beauty they found there.

Most prominent in the night sky is Lady Luna herself, worshiped and revered in ancient spiritual traditions,

with aspects residing in Deities such as Phoebe, Artemis, Selene, Menily, Neith, and Arianrhod, among others.

Long before Galileo’s telescope came about in the early 1600’s, even before Hypatia was making waves as a female teacher of philosophy, astronomy, and math around 400 CE, the Moon was considered dominant over the sun, because it appears to the naked eye as the largest object in the sky.

Hunter-gatherer societies endowed the Moon with male aspects, theorizing that the monthly disappearance of the Moon was caused by a monster who ate the Moon and then regurgitated it at the time of

EVERY CULTURE WITH AN EYE TURNED TOWARDS THE SKY HAS HONORED AND REVERED THE MOON AND WAS ENCHANTED BY HER CHANGING FACE AND INFLUENCE OVER ALL THE WATERS OF THE EARTH, INCLUDING THE WATER INSIDE EACH OF US.

the appearance of the waxing crescent.

Contrarily, agricultural societies regarded the Moon as female, benevolent, a symbol of fertility who bestowed abundance upon humanity. Moon worship and reverence has seen a bit of a resurgence lately, with the ever-increasing popularity of modern paganism, but all of the modernized practices rely heavily on

the lore of the archaic beliefs, pieced together from ancient clues revealed at archaeological digs all over the world. Suffice it to say that every culture with an eye turned towards the sky has honored and revered the Moon and was enchanted by Her changing face and influence over all the waters of the Earth, including the water inside each of us.

Ancient Sumerians, for example, believed that the Moon embodies the gateway through which souls travel down from the stars to find their places on Earth. Conversely, other cultures looked upon the silvery disc as a celestial home, where all those who have passed over go when they leave this plane. Still other civilizations saw the Moon as the source of Life itself, endowed with

the ability to shape-shift and create new life. Either way, the Moon was accepted to be a sort of a Soul superhighway that each of our most ancient ancestors believed we all travel.

In contrast to the glaring heat of the sun, the Moon is cool, comforting, almost seductive. In the earliest matriarchal traditions (and experiencing a revival in modern pa-

THE MOON SEEMS TO MIMIC FEMALE LIFE STAGES AS SHE MOVES THROUGH EACH OF HER PHASES, APPEARING AS THE SLIGHT CRESCENT OF THE MAIDEN, THE FULL ORB OF THE MOTHER, AND THE CADAVEROUS CROOK OF THE WANING CRONE. ganism), there was a lunar trinity of Maiden - Mother - Crone, representative of all the aspects of the sacred mysteries, the path to knowing the Divine Self. The Moon was seen as Queen of the Night, inviting her human subjects to revel in her full glow as she lights the way, but also teaching them to learn to find their own path when she disappears at the New Moon. She is the Queen of the Underworld, revealing the bridge to the dreamy shadow realms of the psyche, hidden mysteries, ancestral memory, and past lives.

The Moon seems to mimic female life stages as she moves through each of her phases, appearing as the slight crescent of the Maiden, the full orb of the Mother, and the cadaverous crook of the waning Crone. In the guise of the virgin huntress Artemis, later the

Roman Diana, the Moon was seen to give life, and women made offerings to her to ensure fertility and safety in childbirth. In modern cultures, the Moon still is revered as a symbol to represent the Goddess, the female aspect of Deity, or it may be worshiped directly for its effects on seasons, tides, or the rhythms of the Earth.

Although we all talk about the Moon, think about the Moon, and look up at the Moon, the Moon still remains a mystery to us. It has been thus for ages and will be thus for ages to come. The light of the Moon seems to contain magic, an undeniable mystery all its own, yet something that every one of us can share in. The Moon that enchants the poets, philosophers, and dreamers of today is the same shadowy orb that occupied the hearts of our ances-

GREEK: ARTEMIS ROMAN: DIANA GODDESS OF THE HUNT, FORESTS AND HILLS, THE MOON, ARCHERY PLANET: MOON STONE: MOONSTONE FOOD/DRINK: BERRIES & NUTS FLOWER/PLANT: TREES, HONEYSUCKLE SCENT: LAVENDER, MINT, HONEY SYMBOLS: BOW, ARROWS, STAGS, HUNTING DOG AND MOON

tors. So gaze up at the moon with a bit of reverence tonight, just like your ancestors have done since they first crawled, gasping, onto the shores of the primordial seas, perhaps to get a closer look at that mysterious glowing sphere in the heavens.

HERE’S WHEN TO CATCH A FULL MOON THIS SUMMER: STRAWBERRY MOON • JUNE 28 BUCK MOON • JULY 27 STURGEON MOON • AUGUST 26 HARVEST MOON •SEPTEMBER 24

Native A for the

April full pin

january full wolf moon

may full flo

february full snow moon

june full Str

march full wolf moon

july full buc

American names e full moons

nk moon

August full sturgeon moon

owe r moon

september full corn moon

rawberry moon

october full hunter moon

ck moon

december november full bear moon full cold moon

summer cooling spray

by: ritafaye sparks!

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’all, I’m from a cotton mill town in east central Alabama, where the folks are friendly and the streets get rolled up at 6:00 pm. My barefoot childhood summertime memories include splashing in the creek or the hose pipe, turning the crank on the ice cream churn, daydreaming in the shade and dappled sunlight filtering through the mimosa fronds, and, let’s face it… SWEATING. We had no air

conditioning in my childhood home, and a single box fan set in the window of our living room was the sole source of cooling for the family. My older sisters and I would spend hours gathered around it, making robot voices and singing into the blades, seeking refuge from the still, dense, I-doubtthat-hell-is-this-hot atmosphere typical of an Alabama summer.

Now I live on the other side of the country, in the desert, and I still

love to run around outdoors (and eat ice cream). When the typically beautiful Las Vegas summer days hit the 115-degree mark, I like to whip up a bottle or two of this simple cooling spray to keep in my glove compartment or workout bag. It’s simple enough to make extras for your sweaty friends!

What you need:

• Witch hazel (the best ones are alcohol free and still contain their tannins, like Thayer’s) • Distilled water (buy it or make your own) • Peppermint essential oil* • Lavender essential oil • 4 oz Spritz bottle (glass works best) • Small funnel or steady hands

What to do:

• Add 2 ounces (4 Tbsp, or 60 mL) EACH of witch hazel and distilled water to the bottle.

• Add 8-10 drops EACH of the peppermint and lavender essential oils.

• Cap it and shake the devil out of it.

• Spray it on (avoid your face and eyes, silly people!) and feel the brisk cooling sensation!

This simple cooling spray is great for reviving your achy feet after a long day, or spray it on your chest and the back of your neck to cool down any old time you like. The light, minty scent also refreshes and uplifts the mood, and the antiseptic properties of the lavender help to fight your sweaty funk. I like to keep a bottle in the fridge for an extra blast of tingly coolness. It’s even nice for minor burns and scrapes.

Do not use this spray on young children.

kitchen cabinet first aid by: ritafaye sparks!

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ummer fun means, among others, camping and hiking, outdoor sports, long days at the beach, and grilling with FIRE. Sometimes summer fun also means sunburns, scrapes and bruises, and insect bites. The pharmacy shelves are lined with a plethora of treatments for various and sundry ailments, but Mother Earth also provides us with many natural remedies that not only are easier on the pocketbook, but also can ease symptoms without interfering with the body’s natural healing processes. What’s more, many typical summertime complaints respond just as well to natural remedies as they do to store-bought ones. As an added benefit, natural remedies provide you with the ability to know exactly what’s going into/ onto your body, and who doesn’t like that? Ever tried to read one of those miles-long ingredients lists? Sheesh!

So let’s dig right in, shall we?

I’m pale. Translucent. Practically diaphanous. You get the idea.... As I’m typing this, I’m avoiding the desert sun, hidden behind Elvis-level blackout curtains, and I’m practically sizzling. My go-to remedy for burns?

You guessed it: aloe vera.

Aloe plants are easy to care for indoors or out, needing to be watered only every 3 weeks or so, and the gel quickly relieves pain of sunburn and minor household burns.

Simply harvest a leaf or two (choose really “beefy” ones!) by cutting near the bottom. Using a sharp knife, remove the spines and cut the leaves in half down the middle, then score the insides of the aloe to release the aloe gel or scrape down with a spoon. Collect the gel in a dish until you have enough to cover the affected area. An alternative is to take an aloe bath. Boil a few aloe leaves in water (The water will turn brown.) and add it to your bath, or simply add some harvested aloe gel to the water.

You’ll want lukewarm water for this treatment, so as not to aggravate the burn or scrape. Rest in the aloe-infused water for 15 or so minutes.

Another immensely helpful sunburn remedy is vinegar. Pour a couple cups of organic white or apple cider vinegar into a cool bath, or apply liberally to the burn with cotton balls.

Sure, you’ll smell like a vat of pickles, but the pain from the sunburn will dissipate posthaste. This also works well for itchy insect bites!

Nature, among other things, is magnificently beautiful. The splendor of summer, all the life bursting forth everywhere, invites us to get our winter heinies outside and get sporty! Or maybe you like to scramble over the hill and through the woods to camp or hike or just to see what’s over there...

You’re probably going to bust your tail at least once. There might be blood,

and if there is, sprinkle sugar or cayenne pepper over the wound to stop the bleeding quickly. Cayenne pepper equalizes blood pressure, allowing you to keep all your blood inside of you where it belongs. Granulated sugar in a wound creates a medium where bacteria cannot survive and causes clotting. No need to make a paste; just clean the wound and put it right on there! Organic honey also works well to staunch bleeding and provides a broad spectrum of antimicrobial properties.

For itchy bug bites, go to your kitchen pantry, not your medicine chest! Baking soda’s alkaline prop-

erties help to neutralize the itch and discomfort of insect bites. Make a thick paste by mixing a little water into a bit of baking soda and apply as needed until the pain and itching abate. Aloe vera also works well to cure the itch from a wee beastie bite. If you have many bites, try taking a vinegar bath (described above) for some all-over relief. Place a fresh slice of onion on a sting for several minutes to reduce itching and relieve pain (be sure to wash the area thoroughly once symptoms subside), or apply some all-natural peppermint or neem toothpaste and allow it to dry (leave on for as long as desired). Help

lessen the chances of infection by applying a small amount of raw honey to the bites. There also are many essential oils that alleviate the itch and sting of bug bites: tea tree, rosemary, neem, and lavender oil all work great.

What’s better on a summer evening than chasing fireflies and eating something from the grill? What about those company picnics and family reunions, where you lost count of how many hot dogs and burgers you ate over the course of the sweltering day, resulting in a digestive dilemma?

Reach into your spice cabinet! Boil water and steep sage, peppermint, or

ginger (or a combination!) for several minutes to produce a beverage that will soothe the angriest of tummies.

Cure indigestion by completely dissolving a quarter teaspoon of baking soda in 2 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar. Add 8 ounces of water or organic juice, and drink it down.

The vinegar aids digestion and helps to balance acid production in the belly. This can be done before the meal for a preemptive strike, or after the symptoms of heartburn have begun.

A teaspoon of yellow mustard mixed in a half cup of water also quickly relieves heartburn. Feeling nauseated?

The main ingredient of most over-thecounter nausea medications is sugar.

Save your money and drink the juice from a can of peaches or some flat ginger ale.

Itchy eyes, runny nose, and that irritating sensation of needing to sneeze but not being able to? Summer allergies are a thing. The pollen count rises when the weather gets warmer, turning many people into teary-eyed, mouth-breathing weirdos. If you’re a patient soul, the best remedy for seasonal allergies is raw local honey. Raw, so that it has all the

good stuff still in it. Local, because you want the honey to be full of the flora and fauna (okay, not the fauna) that’s around you, because that’s what’s making you miserable. The gradual intake of local pollen increases antibodies in the immune system, preventing symptoms before the allergy season even starts. Try to get in a tablespoon a day, either eaten outright or added to food and drinks.

But what if summer’s here already and you’re in the throes? Make some tasty red onion water! (Editor’s note: It’s not that tasty.) Onions contain a

chemical called quercetin, which reduces the body’s histamine response, therefore reducing allergy symptoms.

How cool is that?!? Thinly slice one red onion and add it to 4 cups of water. I use a quart jar with a lid for this.

Allow it to infuse for 8 to 12 hours and drink a cup once or twice a day while symptoms persist. Stir honey to taste into individual servings and keep any remaining infusion in the fridge for up to 3 days.

If summer activities leave you itchy, bloody, burned, or in pain, do like your granny and look in your

house for the cure. Oh, and sprinkle everything with a little common sense: If you encounter a serious burn or bleeding of the spurty kind, please get to an appropriate medical facility. Never give honey to a child under the age of one. Always use an appropriate carrier oil when using essential oils, especially when using them on children. Please be careful and act under any necessary adult supervision when using knives.

SELENE AND ENDYMION, BY SEBASTIANO RICCI (1713)

SELENE MOON GODDESS PLANET: MOON STONE: MOONSTONE FOOD/DRINK: MILK FLOWER/PLANT: WILLOW TREE SCENT: MYRTLE, ROSE ANIMAL TOTEM: HORSE/OX MISCELLANEOUS: POETRY, FULL MOON, THE COLOR WHITE

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elene is the Greek goddess of the moon. Described as a triple goddess, she is a symbol of fertility and feminine strength. She is often pictured wearing white with the crescent moon placed on her head.

During the night she would rise up for the sea in a chariot pulled by two white-winged horses. They would race across the sky, spreading her luminescence for the whole world to see.

Once while she was traveling in her chariot she noticed a mortal man named Endymion. Selene knew that one day Endymion would die

while she would continue to live.

This deeply saddened her and she petitioned Zeus for his help. Knowing that Zeus would be likely to trick her if she requested Endymion’s immortality she instead asked for her lover’s eternal sleep. Zeus granted Selene’s wish and from that day forward Endymion did nothing but dream of the moon.

Selene is often linked to love and romance and is seen as the goddess of inspiration. She conveys a message of hope and teaches us to embrace love and to hold on tight to those who are dear to us.