Homemade Herbals

Handmade Herbal Medicinals

Astrology Kabbalah Herbal Medicine

Astrology and Herbal Correspondances

ARIES ~ NISSAN March 21- April 19
Sign Ram, Aries Acts
Cardinal Fire Masculine
Planet: Mars
Tissue State: Heat, Excitation.
Energetics: Hot and Dry

Season/Earth Expression: Early Spring, Birth, New Beginnings, Seeds and Shoots

Body: Rules Head, Adrenal Glands, Blood, Febrile Mechanism
Face (especially forehead), Nose (with bones of the nose being guarded by Scorpio), Mouth, and Eyes, including optic nerves and lens of the eyes. The Brain, including its blood vessels, motor centers and frontal and lateral lobes. Cerebro-Spinal system and Muscular system. Teeth (with Saturn + Taurus), especially upper jaw.

Cell Salt: Kali Phos Blood, Brain and Nerves

Herbal Actions: Diaphoretic, Circulatory Stimulant, Blood Tonic.

Herbs: Nettles, Yarrow, Bloodroot, Rosemary. Cayenne. Yellow Dock.


TAURUS ~IYYAR April 20-May 20
Sign Bull, Taurus Senses
Fixed, Earth, Feminine
Planet: Venus
Tissue State: Damp, Relaxation
Energetics: Warm and Wet

Season/Earth Expression : Peak of Spring, Taking Root, Fertility, Growth and Generation

Body: Rules Neck, Throat, Thyroid, Ears and Vocal Chords,
voice, and middle ear. Metabolic system, medulla oblongata, and hearing. Salivary glands, taste buds, and teeth of the lower jaw. Jugular veins, cervical nerves of the blood vessels, and bladder. Procreative desire.  Base of the skull.

Cell Salt: Nat Sulph

Herbal Actions: Alterative, Bitter, Lymphatic.

Herbs: Black Walnut (Thyroid), Licorice, Calamus (throat chakra affinity),


GEMINI ~SIVAN May 21-June 21
Sign Twins, Gemini Thinks
Mutable, Air, Masculine
Planet: Mercury
Tissue State: Tension/Atrophy
Energetics: Dry/Tense

Season/Earth Expression: End of Spring, Change, Polarity, Duality, Mercurial, Communication between realms.

Body: Rules
Arms, Shoulders, Hands, Fingers, Lungs, Nerves. The Nervous System. Breathing. Tubes, tunnels, and connectors of the body including fallopian tubes, urinary tubes, bronchial tubes, etc. Blood capillaries. Sensory receptors.
Two Hemispheres of Brain

Cell Salt: Kali Mur

Herbal Action: Nervine, Antispasmodic, Expectorant.

Herbs: Lobelia, Mullein, Horehound, Angelica, Osha, Lomatium (aerial parts as doctrine of signatures) for respiratory system
Kava Kava, Lobelia, Valerian for spasmodic states.
Gotu Kola, Bacopa, Gingko for Mercurial/Mind correspondence.



CANCER ~ SIVAN June22-July 22
Sign Crab, Cancer Feels
Cardinal, Water, Feminine
Planet: Moon
Tissue State: Damp,Stagnation
Energetics: Wet.

Season/Earth Expression: Early Summer, Water, Protection, Feeling Body

Body: Rules Breasts, Stomach, Fluids, Mucous Membranes, Lower part of lungs and ribcage.
The Chest, Diaphragm. Pituitary Gland and hormones. Upper Alimentary System. Brain covering. Ribs, Sternum, and Elbow joint. Lungs. Serum of Blood. Thoracic Duct. Peristaltic pump. Pleura and Pleural Cavity. Bladder. Protective coverings of the organs including the Pericardium and Meningeal coverings.

Cell Salt: Calc Fluor

Herbal Actions: Diaphoretic, Demulcent, Lymphatic, Astringent, Alterative.

Herbs: Bitters - Mugwort, Sweet Annie, Wormwood, Sagebrush, Marshmallow, Milky Oats, Goldenseal - tone mucous membranes of gut.
Ladys Mantle and Rose - Astringents tone and tighten tissues. Peppermint.




LEO ~ AV July 23- Aug 22
Sign Lion, Leo Wills
Fixed, Fire, Masculine
Planet: Sun
Tissue State: Excitation
Energetics: Heat

Season/Earth Expression: Peak of Summer, Fire, Ego, Fullness of Being, Creative Expression, Attention.

Body: Rules Heart and Blood via circulatory system, Vitality, Also Spine and Back.
Chest, spine, and upper back. Dorsal region of the back and spine including nerves and specifically the second dorsal vertebra. Marrow of the spine. Heart, vena cava, and aorta. Myelin sheaths. Cardiac system. Circulation and distribution of nutrients and vital energy through the blood. Radius, ulna, wrists, and forearm. Constructive forces of the body.

Cell Salt: Mag Phos

Herbal actions: Diaphoretic, Circulatory Stimulant.

Herbs: Hawthorn, Motherwort, Borage, St John’s Wort, Linden, Calendula, Rosemary



VIRGO~ELUL August 23- Sept 22
Sign Virgin, Virgo Discerns
Mutable Earth Feminine
Planet: Mercury
Tissue State:TenseAtrophy
Energetics: Cold, Dry
Season/Earth Expression: End of Summer, Harvest, Discrimination, Purifying,

Body: Digestive System, Enteric Gut,
Abdomen. Gut brain and intelligence. Intestines, lower liver (especially the purifying functions), alimentary canal, spleen. Digestive enzymes. Absorption and assimilation. The nervous system as related to digestion. Diaphragm. Spleen. Pancreas.

Cell Salt: Kali Sulph

Herbal Actions: Nervine, Antispasmodic, Digestive,

Herbs: Dill, Fennel, Agrimony, Wood betony, Valerian, Licorice, Agrimony, Angelica




LIBRA ~ TISHREI Sept 23- Oct 22

Sign Scales, Libra Balances
Cardinal Air Masculine
Planet: Venus
Tissue State: Damp Relaxation
Energetics: Warm, Relaxed

Season/Earth Expression: Early Autumn, precipice, balance, temperance, equinox, balance of seasons, drawing inward after yang of summer, filtration

Body: Kidneys, lower back, excretory systems (skin, kidneys), adrenals.
Urinary system. Anus. Hormones in general. Endocrine system. Estrogen. Ovaries. Veins. Acid-alkaline balance. Lumber region of the back. Distillation and filtration systems of the body. Posture. 

Cell Salt: Nat Phos

Herbal Actions: Astringent, Diuretic, Expectorant,

HerbsLaughamiana, Violet, Roses, Goldenrod, Ashwagandha, Uva Ursi, Nettles,





SCORPIO ~ CHESHVAN Oct 23-Nov 21
Sign Scorpion, Scorpio desires
Fixed Water Feminine
Planets: Mars and Pluto
Tissue State: Damp Stagnation
Energetics: Cold Wet

Season/Earth Expression: Late Autumn, Early Winter, establishing depth, secrets, unconscious and conscious desires

Body:
Genitals and groin area. Colon, prostate gland, sex organs, gall bladder, rectum. Sphincter muscle. Uterus, cervix, clitoris. Coccyx and pelvis. Urogenital system. Reproductive system, sexual drive, and procreation. Appendix. Nasal bones and nose. Glands. Excretory systems. Orifices. Thyroid and thymus glands. Catabolism and anabolism.


Cell Salt: Calc Sulph

Herbal Actions: Diuretic, demulcent, lymphatic
Herbs: Black Cohosh, Chaga, Queen Anne’s Lace, Yarrow, Blessed Thistle,



SAGITTARIUS ~ KISLEV NOV 22- DEC 21
Sign Archer, Sagittarius perceives
Mutable Fire Masculine
Planets: Jupiter
Tissue State: Stagnation, Heat/Excitation
Energetics: Warm, Moist

Season/Earth Expression: Mid Winter, inspiration, wisdom, philosophy, reaching for the stars, making conscious connection of above and below.

Body: Liver, Gallbladder,
Hips and thighs. Buttocks. Sciatic nerve. Lower spine and liver. Autonomic nervous system. Cerebrum, especially the left hemisphere. Powers of reasoning. Systems of growth and preservation. Locomotion. Stimuli response (relationship between the endocrine + nervous system).

Cell Salt: Silica


Herbal Actions: Diaphoretic, Circulatory Stimulant, Alterative,
Herbs: Burdock, Dandelion, St John’s Wort, Lemon Balm



CAPRICORN ~ TEVET DEC 22-JAN 19
Sign Goat, Capricorn Utilizes
Cardinal Earth Feminine
Planet: Saturn
Tissue State: Cold/Depression
Energetics: cold/dry, tense

Season/Earth Expression: Late Winter

Body:
Skin, hair, and knees. Teeth. Joints, especially the knees. Bones and the skeletal system. Anterior pituitary gland. Gall bladder. Processing and maintaining energy reserves. Regulation of body systems, especially through the hormonal system. Antiperistaltic movement.

Cell Salt: Calc Phos

Herbal Actions: Bitter, Astringent, Alterative,
Herbs: Thyme, Mullein, Comfrey, Boneset, Solomon’s Seal, Horsetail, Oak.


AQUARIUS ~ SHEVAT JAN 20-FEB 18

Sign Water Bearer, Aquarius Knows
Fixed Air Masculine
Planets: Saturn/Uranus
Tissue State: Dry atrophy
Energetics:cold, dry, tense

Season/Earth Expression: Late Winter, Rising up from the earth (Imbolc),originality and vision, individuality within community, service and revolution

Body: Lower leg, calves, and ankles. Shin bone, tibia, and fibula. Achilles tendon. Teeth. Electrical impulses of the nerves. Circulatory system and elimination. Rods and cones of the retina. Oxygenation of cells. Pyramidal tract and active transport mechanism.

Cell Salt: Sodium Chloride

Herbal Actions: Expectorant, Nervine, Circulatory Stimulant,
Herbs: Horsetail, Milky Oats, Vervain, Kava Kava, Lavender, Passionflower, Motherwort, Skullcap


PISCES~ ADAR FEB 19-MAR 20
Sign Fish, Pisces Believes
Mutable Water Feminine
Planets: Jupiter/Neptune
Tissue State: Damp Relaxation
Energetics: Wet, cold

Season/Earth Expression: Transition from Winter into Spring, movement between realms, ego dissolution, unity and empathy

Body: Feet and toes. All body fluids including synovial fluids, mucus, and blood. Lymphatic, glandular, and endocrine systems. The ability of tissues and body systems to relax. Pineal gland.

Cell Salt:Ferrous Phos

Herbal Actions: Diuretic, Lymphatic, Demulcent
Herbs: Bladderwrack, Ocotillo, Elder, Cleavers, Chickweed, Reishi,

Shvat Herbs ~Aquarius

The Month of Shvat and Aquarius

January/February
Tribe ~Asher
Quality~ Taste
Direction~North
House~ 11th/Friends
Body Parts ~ Korkeban (esophagus, stomach area) Ankles, shins, calves/lower legs, also nervous system and mind. Arms - areas of movement
Cell Salt ~Nat Mur

Aquarius - ruled by Uranus - planet of change, as well as the first of three planets outside of the 7 ‘inner’ planets. It was discovered in the 18th century, bringing a radical change of perspective on our solar system. It represents that unorthodox, unexpected change from tradition, law and order (Saturn). Or from the known, seeable, and predictable universe.
Uranus is known as planet of eccentrics and unconventional - and Aquarians display Uranian attributes of being determined, stubborn and unpredictable. They tend towards both tradition and uniqueness.
Medically, and externally Aquarius governs the ankles, calves and tibia (lower leg).
Internally, vision, blood circulation and breathing. Structurally Aquarius affects the bones of the lower limbs, and circulation and blood.

The herbs that would seem appropriate therefore, for Aquarius, would be circulatory stimulants, to increase the flow of and purity of blood and breath, so they circulate to the outer extremes of the limbs of the body. Bringing nourishment and fresh air/blood to the furthest parts, involving lots of movement and exchange.

Tissue State: Damp/Stagnation, Tense/Constriction
Aquarius rules the shins, calves and ankles, as well as the sympathetic nervous system and the peripheral vascular system.  The peripheral vascular and veinous system, which returns blood back to the heart, ruled by opposing Leo. Rare illnesses and nervous ailments. It is involved in blood circulation and the oxidation processes in the body.
Body Systems: 
Primarily lower limbs and ankles – Lower leg / shins, calves, and ankles. Shin bone, tibia, and fibula. Achilles tendon.  Sympathetic nervous system and the peripheral vascular system (Circulatory system and elimination),  Teeth. Electrical impulses of the nerves. Rods and cones of the retina. Oxygenation of cells.

Shevat Rosh Chodesh Circle

Sign - Aquarius
Planets - Saturn and Uranus
Body: externally -Ankles, lower legs, extremities,
internally - vision, blood circulation, breathing
Judaism - Shvat - Taste, Oesophagus
Exodus - beginning of freedom, within a group
Beginning of spring, sap rising
Letter -tzaddi
Tribe -asher
Herbal energetics - to increase circulation of blood, fortify nervous system and relax tension


How do we go about choosing herbs for this month - connecting planets, plants and people?

The beauty of both astrology and Judaism are that they show us the energetic properties of planets and symbols that are reflected in the body.

Aquarius - ruled by Uranus - planet of change, as well as the first of three planets outside of the 7 ‘inner’ planets.
It was discovered in the 18th century, bringing a radical change of perspective on our solar system. It represents that unorthodox, unexpected change from tradition, law and order (Saturn). Or from the known, seeable, and predictable universe.
Uranus is known as planet of eccentrics and unconventional - and Aquarians display Uranian attributes of being determined, stubborn and unpredictable. They tend towards both tradition and uniqueness.


The tension between the states of these two planets can be reflected in the body, in the areas that are ruled by Aquarius.. namely the lower limbs - calves and ankles, as well as our nervous system and circulation.

These are all areas that require great movement - energy to move beyond that which is limited and not serving us any longer, or restricts us to just ego and self.. and to move beyond towards a greater connection to hashem, light, humanity and the outer reaches of our body/tribe.

Shevat means tribe. It also means scepter. Tribe is your extension of family and related very much to the 11th house of friends and community which is the traditional house for Aquarius. It is the house of love, giving and sharing without an expectation of return. The scepter is held by the head of a tribe or community, showing leadership and individualism for the benefit of all.

Shevat = Aquarius, the water bearer, holds the pitcher (delee in Hebrew)and is the vessel pouring the water of chesed or compassion to the people.

That is actually the Tikune during Shevat to become a channel for the Light of HaShem and remove your own ego from the equation. Of course, this is the Tikune in any month; only in Shevat it is more concentrated.

Include relaxing nervines that help ease constriction, perhaps beginning in the oesophagus. The oesophagus is the near the beginning of our intake of food and air, connecting to digestion and circulating the nutrients to the areas of our bodies that use movement/action to share it with the world around us. Shevat also relates to the sense of taste and how we are taking in the energy from food, using consciousness, to bring us out of constricted places to one of freedom.



HERBS FOR SHEVAT TEA ~
Nettles.. Oatstraw. Horsetail. Fennel. Hawthorn.


The herbs that would seem appropriate for Aquarius, would be circulatory stimulants, to increase the flow of and purity of blood and breath, so they circulate to the outer extremes of the limbs of the body. Bringing nourishment and fresh air/blood to the furthest parts, involving lots of movement and exchange.

Nettles ~ nourishes our blood, rich in Iron, silica and potassium. It has the external action of being hot and dry - bringing irritation and redness to our skin if we are stung. Internally however, it’s actions are more cooling and moistening. It softens hard tissues and gives our blood strength.

Horsetail ~ works well alongside nettles to nourish blood, horsetail also adds silica and structure (calcium) to build blood condition thus aiding movement and circulation through better nourishment. Strengthens hair, skin and nails. Horsetail is a herb of Saturn.

Fennel ~ Gentle, antispasmodic and aiding digestion, allowing greater room for ease of movement. Expels mucus and gas and increases lactation.

Hawthorn ~ a heart centered circulatory tonic that can regulate blood pressure and cholesterol.

Oatstraw ~ A nourishing nervine that relaxes stress and tension, used for depression, insomnia, anxiety. Helpful in breaking addictions.


The “Bnei Yissaskhar”, a kabbalist from the 19th century, claims that Aquarius is the sign of Israel. The Torah tells us about Jacob the patriarch, that his name derived from the word Akev (heel עקב) due to the fact that that when he was born he held to his brother’s heel trying to come out first. The heel is the roughest and the lowest part of the human body and it connects us to the earth. The Torah also tells us that after Jacob struggled all night with the angel, the angel was forced to bless him in order to be released, so he changed Jacob’s name into Israel ישראל, which combined of the words לי ראש (my head). Meaning, the heel was raised to be the head, and that indicates of the Aquarius ability to transcend above boundaries and overcome limits and boundaries. Aquarius people have no tolerance to the things that connect everyone else to the earth – habits, tradition, commitments, etc. They have to exchange boundaries with freedom.




According to Sefer Yetsira (The Book of Formation) – attributed to Abraham the Patriarch – the building blocks of the universe consist of 22 different frequencies, spiritual forces, represented by the 22 Hebrew letters. Each month is ruled by two Hebrew letters. One letter rules the planet that dominates the sign. The other letter rules the astrological sign of the month. Shevat’s planet is Saturn and is ruled by the letter ב (Beit). Its astrological sign is Aquarius, which is ruled by the letter צ (Tsadik).
People of the sign of Aquarius are also related to redemption and the arrival of the Messiah. The connection between them is the enormous hunger for drawing knowledge from the universe. Knowledge is power and also the base for true freedom. The redemption will come when we all are Tsadikim (righteous) – hence the letter Tsadik (or Tsadi) צ , when everyone converts their selfish desires into receiving only for the purpose sharing.
The letter צ (Tsadik) represents the spiritual power behind Aquarius that also represents the connection between the upper spirituals worlds and our material world. This connection manifests in Tu BeShevat (Shevat 15th , the full moon in Aquarius) – The Year for the Trees – the Ilan (trees). The numerical value (Gematria) of Ilan (tree) is 91 which is the connection between God’s name, The Tetragrammaton יהו”ה which represent the upper worlds and its value is 26, and God’s name אדנ”י which represents our material world and its value is 65 (and together 91).
The physical tree represents the spiritual Tree of Life. As the material physical tree has a revealed part (trunk and branches) and a hidden part (roots) so is our reality – our physical body and our soul. The same way the tree grows opposing gravity, so are Aquarians, going against nature and what is acceptable. This is the power of life – to be creative and original. This is the purpose of us all, to connect to the abundance that The Age of Aquarius is offering us, to the tree of life and to the arrival of the Messiah. As Rav Ashlag, the founder of the modern Kabbalah movement, said that every person is unique and his purpose is to bring something to our world that only he can bring, and when each of us will fulfill his destiny and share it with the rest of mankind we will finally experience the redemption and The Age of Aquarius will come to its completion.

Capricorn Tevet Herbal Astrology

CAPRICORN ~ TEVET DEC 22-JAN 19
Sign Goat, Capricorn Utilizes
Cardinal Earth Feminine
Planet: Saturn
Tissue State: Cold/Depression
Energetics: cold/dry, tense

Season/Earth Expression: Late Winter

Body:
Skin, hair, and knees. Teeth. Joints, especially the knees. Bones and the skeletal system. Anterior pituitary gland. Gall bladder. Processing and maintaining energy reserves. Regulation of body systems, especially through the hormonal system. Antiperistaltic movement.

Cell Salt: Calc Phos

Herbal Actions: Bitter, Astringent, Alterative,
Herbs: Thyme, Mullein, Comfrey, Boneset, Solomon’s Seal, Horsetail, Oak.

Sense: Anger
The sense of holy anger, or righteous indignation (the rectification of the month of Tevet) is the ability of the soul to arouse one’s good inclination to become angry at one’s evil inclination. This our sages teach us in their commentary on the verse in Psalms: “Be angry and don’t sin.”
Positive anger expresses the deepest care and concern of the soul that reality become good. Though even to this anger there is a certain element of immaturity (for absolute maturity, that of the Creator of reality, sees [with the ayin of Tevet] all as good), nonetheless, of it is said: “for Israel is [behaves as] a lad, and [therefore] I [G-d] love him.”
In Chassidut we are taught that one must direct his left (“evil&rdquoWinking eye towards himself (with the holy anger of his innate good against his innate evil), to lower and subdue his ego, while simultaneously directing his right (“good&rdquoWinking eye towards outer reality (by which power he helps reality perfect itself).
Controller: Liver
The sages teach us that “the liver is angry.” The function of the liver [kaved, in Hebrew] is to purify the blood with which it is saturated. In Kabbalah, the liver corresponds to the primordial snake, whose rectification is personified by Dan. (The three “rulers” of the body and soul are the brain, the heart, and the liver, which correspond to Adam, Eve, and the snake, respectively).
The snake, in Kabbalah, represents the initial state of immaturity of the soul, as characterized by the unrectified attribute of anger. The venom of the snake is hot (see above, the month of Cheshvan), like the fire of anger. When converted to the good, the fire (and blood of the liver) serve to warm the cold month of Tevet.
Kaved = 26 = Havayah. This reflects the secret mentioned above, that the sum of the four months which “fast” over the destruction of the Temple (by the venom of the primordial snake), which culminate in Tevet, together equal 26. By fasting over the destruction one rectifies one’s liver–mellows one’s anger–and thereby “sweetens” the anger of G-d (with Israel, the cause of the destruction) and arouses the mercy of Havayah to rebuild the Temple.
This article is from Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburg ~
www.inner.org

Kislev Moon Sagittarius

Kislev ~ This Moon brings us Dreaming, light in the darkness, mystery, transition, gateways, winter, miracles. Opening beyond fear to gaze in the darkness and see what is at root, take time to nourish our soil and see what we will dream into future seeds.
Astrology and Modes: Sagittarius Mutable, Fire, Jupiter, Yang.
Energetics - sympathetic warming, drying.
Antipathetic cooling, moistening.

Actions - Bitter taste and action helps ground Mutable (Vata) energy by anchoring our vital force down the spine and into our solar plexus. e.g. Dandelion which purifies blood and supports all the organs of digestion.
Tumeric (bitter and circulatory stimulant)

Jupiter is often associated with benevolence, abundance, higher wisdom, expansiveness. It is a gaseous planet, and can give rise to a tendency toward excess and overdoing things in terms of energy, eating, and using our resources.
In our bodies, Jupiter governs the arterial circulatory system, liver, gallbladder, digestion in terms of metabolism. Sagittarius rules the thighs, buttocks, hips and sciatic nerve.
Plants with broad leaves and oily nature fixed oils like Burdock root and seed, or volatile oils such as Sage are signatures of Jupiter and can help lubricate dryness and ground excess airy energy.

Mandrake root is very powerful and should only be used in small doses, under guidance of qualified health care practitioner. Used for treatment of chronic liver disease, bile imbalances, lymph and digestive troubles.

Oregon grape root - stimulates bile production and purifies blood. Contains Berberine and helps stimulate liver/gallbladder.

Circulatory Stimulant - Jupiter and Sagittarius both rule arteries, therefore we can apply herbs that increase our circulation and oxygen through blood, heart and brain e.g. Rosemary, Bacopa, Gingko.

Nervines - e.g. St Johns wort which is a specific for nerve pain, especially sciatic pain which is under the imbalances of Sagittarius. (Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs)

Kislev _ dreaming over the darkness, inside the dark, bringing to light the mystery of creation, allowing space and pause before the mystery, a place where magic can happen. Pausing to breathe and choose wisely before another journey or decision is made. Miracles happen when you least expect them, therefore release expectation. As in the miracle of Chanukah. Dissolve into the darkness where all possibilities can open up into new form.
The pause over the kiddish cup, a full brim of darkness and the utterance of prayers to bless the void and welcome shabbat.

Cheshvan Scorpio Herbal Astrology

Cheshvan Herbs
Cheshvan corresponds to the astrological month of Scorpio. Scorpio is ruled by Mars and Pluto, both planets that seek depth and transformation, one more actively, one more inwardly.
Herbs for this Month’s Tea Blend include;
Black Cohosh ~ Cimicifuga Racemosa
Black Cohosh is a dark, gnarled, root of transitions that aids the moving from one realm to another. In Scorpio we take the leap from our comfort zone into the depths, moving from harvest into the compost zone of winter, we don’t know where it will take us, where we will land. This is a plutonian journey that will leave us changed, healed and potentially scarred. Black Cohosh is often used for childbirth and menopause, transition times for women, and helps us get unstuck. Its tangled roots can be helpful for those enmeshed in abusive relationships or patterns of addiction. In Judaism we see a parallel with Jacob wrestling with the angel, an initiation of the human spirit reaching beyond the ancestral realm into new worlds.
Yarrow ~ Alchillea Millefolium
Yarrow medicine is ruled by Mars, arrow like in its kinship with Chiron the centaur and wounded healer archetype this plant medicine embodies. It brings us up out of the submerged depths that we wander in with Pluto, up and out of our wounding and into our healing. It has a very martian like quality of reaching for the stars and it is an ally for this month that is protective and directive.
Chaga ~ Inonotus Obliquus
Chaga is a dark mushroom that grows tumor like, on the side of trees. Chaga may assist our immune systems in the fight against cancer. It goes deep into the undergrowth of our body ecology and helps build up from the depths, this being a great monthly analogy for Scorpio.
Shatavari ~ Asparagus Racemosus
Shatavari is an ayurvedic yin tonic that nourishes the entire reproductive system, which is ruled by Scorpio. It supports women’s hormonal systems and it’s name translates as 'a woman who has a hundred husbands’, it is considered an aphrodisiac and excellent tonic for women, creating a nourished balanced womb/home.
Saffron ~ Crocus Sativus
Saffron represents the unification of opposites, by drawing close, through the power of attraction, the intimacy and secrets from the other plants so that they harmonize into a deeper blend. This is pure Pluto/Scorpio work, bringing forth secrets from the depths so as to integrate and harmonize the whole. It is the function of death, petit mort, to be able to let more life rush in.
Scorpio uproots us from excessive rootedness so that we can go onward.
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Tishrei Libra Herbal Astrology

LIBRA ~ HERBS FOR TISHREI

LIBRA ~ Venus, Air, Cardinal, Pitta

Goldenrod -tones tissues, calms irritations and inflammations, used for kidney and urinary tract. Its Golden color is a ray of sunshine and it can be a gentle nervine that helps seasonal depression. It appears at the beginning of the harvest season as we prepare our stores for winter.
Mullein - soothes and coats mucous membranes, helping smooth access of breath.
Rose - warmth softness and love in all relationships
Damiana - warmth of relationships, relaxing oneself to allow the other in. Combined with rose and lemon balm and kava can help with social anxiety and those whose hearts have been closed due to past relationship hurts.
Raspberry leaf - astringent, maintains boundaries of water, kidney, mineralization.


This season we focus on Healthy Relationships - using judgment and discernment to balance give and take of relationships and both sides of a story.
We are drawn to the importance of holding space for self within that, standing up for oneself and not being unbalanced by indecision. (aries)
Libra can be prone to addiction or poor eating habits can lead to sugar imbalances and diabetes, as well as urinary tract infections of accumulations in the kidneys.
Kidneys are the balancer of water in the body, they are like the scales of justice of where we are holding too tight or too loose. They also represent the external balance of the seasons as we move towards the Autumn Equinox.
Kidneys also govern detoxification and the acid/alkaline and mineral balance of our bodies.

I always used to get a cough and sore lower back at this season and felt like they corresponded to balance of inner and outer relationships.., sometimes giving more externally, outwardly, as was the nature of summer season.. and the throat/lung and kidney symptoms seemed to call me back into my self, a shofar blast to return inward and reflect and prepare for the changes ahead.
The judgement call of what needs to be weighed for keeping and storing or eliminating for the year to come.
In Libra we move away from the individual evolutionary journey into a collective one, where how we interact and relate to our environment and other individuals becomes vitalized.



References;

www.thewondersmith.com
School of Evolutionary Herbalism ~ AstroHerbalism Course
Elisabeth Brooke ~ A Women’s Book of Herbs
Miriam Maron ~ Ancient Moon Wisdom
Own studies and experiences over time

Av Leo herbal Astrology

LEO ~ AV July 23- Aug 22
Sign Lion, Leo Wills
Fixed, Fire, Masculine
Planet: Sun
Tissue State: Excitation
Energetics: Heat

Season/Earth Expression: Peak of Summer, Fire, Ego, Fullness of Being, Creative Expression, Attention.

Body: Rules Heart and Blood via circulatory system, Vitality, Also Spine and Back.
Chest, spine, and upper back. Dorsal region of the back and spine including nerves and specifically the second dorsal vertebra. Marrow of the spine. Heart, vena cava, and aorta. Myelin sheaths. Cardiac system. Circulation and distribution of nutrients and vital energy through the blood. Radius, ulna, wrists, and forearm. Constructive forces of the body.

Cell Salt: Mag Phos

Herbal actions: Diaphoretic, Circulatory Stimulant.

Herbs: Hawthorn, Motherwort, Borage, St John’s Wort, Linden, Calendula, Rosemary

Elul Virgo Herbal Astrology

ELUL VIRGO MOON

Elul means ‘full circle’
Herb Cassia
Zodiac Virgo; Planet - Mercury, 6th House of Health, work and service.
Earth. Feminine. Mutable.
Energetics - cold and dry

Elul is Month of Transformation. It is a bridge between Summer and Autumn. It begins the season of harvest, when we reap what we have sown and reflect upon the year with faith and trust that the dying, falling, ending cycles will be renewed in the spring. Like Demeter and Persephone, our Jewish tradition symbolizes the earths turn inward before new growth can occur.

The Hebrew letters that spell ELUL (Alef, lamed, vav, lamed) are an acronym for “Anee l’dodo v’l’dodi lee’ ~ ‘I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me’
Song of Songs

It speaks of longing and reaching out to the unknown other “because longing is something we have for the mystery of other” Miriam Maron
In Elul we prepare ourselves for the new, the unknown, and we need strength to reach beyond the fears and worries of the past or anxieties over the future and welcome what will come with open arms. We reflect on our past deeds to prepare the way for new growth.
In Virgo we move beyond the ego self established in Leo and practically apply the truth of who we are in service for the whole.
We show the more feminine, earthy analysis and self reflection of how we are acting in the world and how we can perfect our actions for the benefit of all.

Healthy bodies, communication, relationships are fostered by clear communication and connectivity between all parts.
Thus within our bodies we turn our focus on our nervous systems especially related to digestion, the nerve functioning of our gut.
Mercury ruling Virgo affects the liver, pancreas, small intestine and bile ducts, these organs are the seats of discrimination of what to take in and what to let go of. This is mirrored in the mental processes common to Virgo and this season, in attention to details, where we discriminate between what we reap and sow, (what food we let in to nourish us, and what we eliminate), striving for an ideal image of ourselves where we are of service to the whole (communication and nervous system).
When there is clear communication through our gut and nervous system we can relax more into ourselves as we are, seeing the constantly changing perfection of what is, rather than getting lost in the details and parts of an idealized image that is not embodied.

Herbs that can help support this time are ones that work with bitter, cholagogue (increasing secretion of bile from gallbladder), choleric (increases secretion of bile in liver) actions, as well as nerviness, relaxants, antispasmodics, carminatives and demulcents.
Virgo can be highly strung and thus any relaxing nervines and digestive remedies are beneficial.

Herbs I included in this months tea include;

Chamonile for it's relaxing and digestive support,
Blue Vervain for overly tense nervous and muscular skeletal system, as well as being cooling and bitter thus aiding digestion as well. Good for hot tense overly perfectionist types which Virgo's can tend toward.
Angelica aromatic bitter taste stimulates digestion and liver, relaxing to lungs and decreases spasms.
Agrimony - relaxing tension especially in those who hide behind a cheery face and who’s tension originates from work or business relationships (6th house) .
Licorice root - demulcent, soothing, synergistic, digestive tonic
Wood Betony ~ tonic for digestive tract, strengthens solar plexus so we can feel and trust our gut instincts.


References;
Ancient Moon Wisdom ~ Miriam Maron
School of Evolutionary Herbalism ~ Astroherbalism
Anatomy of the Soul ~ Rabbi Nachman
Matthew Wood ~ The Book of Herbal Wisdom

Tammuz Cancer Moon

Tammuz
Sign: Crab
Mode: Cardinal
Element: Water
Feminine, Yin,
Energetics: Cold/Damp
Body Parts: Breasts, Stomach, Mucosal Membranes.

Crab symbolizes home - emerging from the waters and living on the edge of the ocean and land, the in between zone, needing both protection and security (shell) and also needing to shed outgrown structures and find new spaces to grow and flourish.

At home in both water and land, physical and spiritual worlds, Cancer seeks to balance these two forces in their lives.
The quest is to embody the spiritual and integrate it physically.

Herbs:
Mugwort - vision/dreaming, spiritual ally.
Licorice - nourishes and moistens mucosal membranes, enables other herbs to harmonize, fusing properties into cohesive whole.
Frankincense - Levonyah potentiality, unity in diversity.

Acorus Calamus - grows in water and aids endurance and mental clarity

Lady's Mantle - Acts as an astringent on tissues that need extra boundaries and tone.

Key words for Cancer: Sovereignty, Balance, Visionary Warrior, Boundaries.

Sivan Gemini Herbal Astrology

GEMINI ~SIVAN May 21-June 21
Sign Twins, Gemini Thinks
Mutable, Air, Masculine
Planet: Mercury
Tissue State: Tension/Atrophy
Energetics: Dry/Tense

Season/Earth Expression: End of Spring, Change, Polarity, Duality, Mercurial, Communication between realms.

Body: Rules
Arms, Shoulders, Hands, Fingers, Lungs, Nerves. The Nervous System. Breathing. Tubes, tunnels, and connectors of the body including fallopian tubes, urinary tubes, bronchial tubes, etc. Blood capillaries. Sensory receptors.
Two Hemispheres of Brain

Cell Salt: Kali Mur

Herbal Action: Nervine, Antispasmodic, Expectorant.

Herbs: Lobelia, Mullein, Horehound, Angelica, Osha, Lomatium (aerial parts as doctrine of signatures) for respiratory system

Kava Kava, Lobelia, Valerian for spasmodic states.

Gotu Kola, Bacon, Gingko for Mercurial/Mind correspondence.

Milky Oats ~ nourishing trophorestorative for nervous system

Passionflower ~ sedating, calming, nervous system relaxant.


Iyyar Taurus Herbal Astrology

IYYAR - TAURUS
April 21-May 20
Taurus Senses
Sign: Bull
Venus. Fixed. Earth. Feminine.
Bodies/medical astrology: Taurus rules our neck and throat,
our thyroid and ears, vocal chords and tonsils.
Cell Salt:Nat Sulph.
Energetics - Warm/Damp

Iyyar means 'breaking through of the light'
Here we are in the peak of Spring, plants unfurled and budding, reaching for the light.
There is abundance and earthly prosperity.
We take root and ground our initiation and spark from Aries, and fix it into the earth to grow and generate, ensuring fertility and survival. Taurus is a fortress of protection on Earth.
Iyyar is the most auspicious time for collecting the most potent plants for medicinal purposes.
The Iyyar moon draws the forces of healing to the surface, bringing forth their potency.


The energetics of Taurus are moist and feminine - expressed in the second house which shows what we hold dear or value. It is a time to cultivate stability and flexibility alike.
The tissue state associated with Taurus is damp stagnation, the accumulation of water in tissues. It needs help flowing and draining, and so the bitter and astringent plants can help with that. Tightening and toning tissues (astringency) aids flexibility and movement and bitter tastes can stimulate metabolic processing.
Taurus herbs, being ruled by Venus, often have beautiful flowers and pleasant smells. I think of Roses that bloom this time of year, and for which the many associations led me to name my daughter who was born during this season.
Roses (
Rosa. spp) are cooling and soothing and open us up to our hearts and sensuality in a grounded present way.
Herbs for Taurus can soothe the throat and its mucous membranes, as well as being helpful for the colon/uterus which are ruled by Scorpio ~ the opposite of Taurus.


Fenugreek -
Trigonella Foenum excellent for sore throats and fevers, mucous conditions of lungs and for gas, ulcers and diabetes. It also brings on Milk supply in Breastfeeding Women.

Licorice Root -
Glycerizza glabra Helpful for mucous membranes, including hoarseness and sore throat. Licorice combines well with other herbs and brings out their medicinal value, harmonizing and activating the plant combinations. It also works on the adrenal axis as an anti-inflammatory and is useful for stress and adrenal exhaustion.

Calamus Root -
Acorus Calamus Chewed in similar way to coca leaves for long distance walks to aid stamina. Relaxes muscles and helps digestion, diaphoretic and eases anxiety. Balances energy to function as a whole.

Black Walnut -
Juglans Nigra A blood tonic and astringent among many other actions, Black Walnut can help sore throat, and has an affinity for the thyroid gland as it contains Iodine.
Astringency is useful for the relaxed tissue states that Taurus can be prone to.

Cleavers ~
Galium aparine Cleavers grows abundantly this time of year. A wonderful lymphatic to cleanse our waterways and support our kidneys.

Sage - Salvia Officinalis -A wonderful aromatic herb that has an affinity for the throat, excellent in gargles or tea.


During Iyyar and its opposite month Cheshvan, there are no Torah-based holy days, we are guided to our inner work, as expressed in the counting of the Omer that seeks to count our way to the 50th gate of soul refinement.
As Rav Dov Pinson says in his book Spirals of Time "The Tikkun (healing) of this month involves balancing and integrating the intense, almost intoxicating inspiration we received in Nissan and during Pesach. Iyyar is the bridge month connecting the liberation of Nissan and the revelation of Sivan, when we receive the Torah. Both Nissan and Sivan are months of receiving and abundance of light from Hashem. Iyyar is therefore a month of strengthening our vessels in order to safely and responsibly receive, process and circulate such an influx of light."

The Hebrew letter for Iyyar is Vav ~ which means Hook as it bridges past, present and future and maintains firm ground in the present. This requires great faith, to let go of the pain and suffering or romanticization of the past, and the anxiety or anticipation of the future, and trust that Now is the only place you need to be.

Nissan Aries Herbal Astrology





“The more alive you feel, having been born in the moon of spring, the more sensitive you may be, and the more you might feel the angst of all that frustrates or outright impedes your connection to the magic and ever flowing flux of life. You are the grass reaching towards the sky from the constructiveness of Earth, the bud on the tree limb eagerly and impatiently pushing against the slow pace of life in order to unfold and blossom. Your desires move you towards unbridled and untempered celebration and life dance against the backdrop of forces with agendas of tempering and directing you.”
Ancient Moon Wisdom ~Miriam Maron

Rosh Chodesh Nissan occurs right around the Spring equinox, a balance between day and night, light and dark, yin and yang upon heaven and earth.

We emerge from the watery depths of Pisces where all is one, beyond self and merged- into- unity consciousness, into Aries, the initiating, fiery, dynamic, hot spark of life that pushes the seeds into new growth and individuality. It is all about establishing self and survival. It is the primary vital force that initiates life.

Aries embodies the principles of Yang, Fire, Cardinal and Mars. It is Hot and Dry, seeking expansion and ascension. It is concerned with power in the expression of self, not so much power over others as pure energy power, our own true power, and a direct vitality that creates life. The evolutionary goal of Aries is to align our power within to a higher truth that can serve all.
Integrity and virtue through action.
One of the lessons of Aries is to harness and focus this energy and bring it to an embodied place where it can be not only initiated but completed and housed. This is balanced with a more feminine Libra (opposite sign) energy of completion and judgement, a longer view of action over time. Evolutionary aspects, or lessons of Aries would be to develop their courage and Will, face fears and to consciously seek out challenges in a way that can be of benefit to all of our relations. Channel vital force into serving the greater good.


Physiology -

Mars rules the blood and adrenal glands, is associated with the febrile mechanism, temperature regulation (hypothalamus) and ties in with the immune system which is our inner army that defends our inner environment from external attack - often through an increase of fever, heat, redness, restlessness and activity to protect the body.
Our adrenal glands are easily imbalanced in our modern culture, and our fight or flight response to stress manifests in our bodies the same way it would to a survival threat, like an animal attack. This causes blood to flow away from digestion and regeneration to our body’s periphery where it can run away or fight if it needs to. Too much adrenal stress can lead to inflammation and burn out as our overly stressed system seeks to adapt to the point of exhaustion. Emotionally this can manifest as anger, frustration, nervous exhaustion, tension in mind, depletion in body.
Aries people can tend to lean towards stimulants e.g. coffee, chocolate, even stimulant drugs as their energy dips, as stimulants match their constitutional energy pattern. However, long term, it can lead to burn out.
Aries tend to not need too much extra stimulation as they are already there, unless they are expressing deficiency in will and vital force.
Calming the nervous system, nourishing the adrenals and bringing vital force back into parasympathetic mode can be extremely helpful in balancing the fiery hot energy of Mars.

Aries and Mars have Hot and Dry energetics.
As an ecosystem that would correspond to a desert or dry, hot climate.
In Passover time we are remembering our ancestors as they left the state of slavery, which was comforting in its limitedness. As they entered the desert of unknown, freedom, although desired, came with the need to let go of attachment to past and the comfort zone of being a slave.
To initiate change, grow and allow our stories to become self empowered we needed the initiatory courageous energy of Aries to walk into the unknown. From the time in the desert down to the parting of the seas, the same energy and trust that you are walking towards life, sparked our journey.
Nissan is our journey, our doorway, the threshold, do we hesitate or do we leap?

Often the plants that grow in deserts can be cooling, mucilaginous and hold onto water. e.g. Aloe.
Plants with a strong Mars, fiery, cardinal energy will often (but not always) grow in cool, damp environments.
Often the medicine we need grows in the very environment of our challenges.

Aries has the glyph of the ram, rules the head, our impulse to leap and act headfirst, headstrong, headache! The Pesach lamb is our sacrifice, we give our offering of humility before the creator that our first borns (creative impulses) will be passed over in judgement. It is not our job to complete the work, nor are we exempt from trying.
We are instructed to leave in haste, without even time to bake bread, to allow our ego’s to inflate or doubt, we have to follow the impulse, fight or flee to escape slavery and pharaoh’s changing mind. This is a very Aries story.. a beginning of spring, warmth, expansion out of our comfort zone of watery oneness and into the light, individuated and strong.
Sacrifice in pesach means letting go of binds that no longer serve our path, old patterns, ways of relating, choices that we no longer recognize as choices but feel more like compulsions, addictions or stuckness.

“Lamb represents innocence, purity, letting go of all the givens and definitions placed on us in life and restoring our simplicity, our essential innocent self, the prerequisite to new unfolding, to new encounters. Lamb means stepping back from our judgmental self and bringing forth our open-hearted self, so that we might have the fortitude to do what is required of us in the moment; to cross the sea that lies between our past and our future, between the place of being stuck and the place of fresh possibilities.
The Torah therefore often describes our ancestors as seeing things completely fresh, completely new, using these words: “and he lifted up his eyes and he saw - va’yee’sa ay nahv v’yar” meaning he no longer saw the same thing in the same way, but lifted his way of seeing above the way in which he’d been accustomed to seeing.
Lamb challenges us to see our loved ones not continuously in the same way, with the same assumptions with which we saw and experienced them yesterday, but to do so anew, daily.” Ancient Moon Wisdom ~ Miriam Maron.

Recognizing Aries plant correspondences:
Plants can be intense and have sharp thorns , prickles, serrated edges, hot colors, e.g. red, orange, yellow. Masculine warrior plants e.g. Nettles, hot and irritating on skin but cooling and moistening in blood. Full of iron, embodies Aries and Spring time. Useful for hay fever and allergies.
Devils club which is healing to solar plexus, and useful for developing willpower and easing stress.

Taste - pungent, spicy, stimulating, increases vital force circulation of blood
Hot and Dry herbs - Sympathetic -eg cayenne, ginger, cloves, horseradish.
Horseradish is a great example of Sympathetic plant medicine - it is hot and pungent and cleansing, very yang medicine that radiates up and out, clearing sinuses and head from dampness and congestion. It is the bitter herb we use during passover to remind us of the bitterness of slavery. To not remember, face or integrate our trauma or slavery is not a true liberation. We escape but do not free ourselves. Allowing yourself to grieve and forgive is a way to ultimately free yourself from the binds of your past.

Correcting our blood, our waterways, allowing it to be cleansed and unclogged can bring in new life.

Antipathetic - bitter taste cooling, downward and in. Yin. Can be also drying and need to check for that, so it doesn’t further aggravate dryness in tissues.
During Pesach we eat bitter herbs which are a cooling, directing energy downwards and inwards that brings us back into our bodies and reminds us of times where we were not free to make decisions over our bodies.

Adaptogens work on hormonal system HPA axis - chi tonics that can help nourish body that has been overly depleted. Appropriately indicated for modern world.

e.g. Ashwagandha, ginsengs, medicinal mushrooms. Adapting our systems from being stuck in fight or flight or in rest and digest, allows us the movement we need to grow beyond reactions into actions. Reset, support, and dynamic balance.

Nervines - lemon balm, milky oats, skullcap, passionflower, lavender. cooling calming to excess states. An antithesis to the hot fiery cardinal mars working on blood and immune response. Nervines can relax and nourish our communication systems all across our bodies. Communication is difficult and easily imbalanced, both in body (nerves) and in speech. Calming down frustration and anger, heat excitation, can bring ease to communication and our systems as a whole.

“We are challenged to bring ourselves into, to dwell in, the realm of aliveness, not allowing all of our issues and anxieties to deaden us, to numb us from the gift of being.” Ancient Moon Wisdom ~ Miriam Maron



Sources:

Ancient Moon Wisdom; the Kabbalistic Wheel of Astro-Mystery and its relationship to the Human Experience ~ Miriam Maron

School of Evolutionary Herbalism - Astro Herbalism course - Aries.