The Wonders of Yarrow

From ancient Chinese and European civilizations to Indigenous Nations of the Americas; from back in Neanderthal times (truly!) to modern day herbalists, yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is celebrated throughout the world for its varied medicinal properties. The aromatic plant grows up to 1 m. tall and has fern-like divided leaves (up to 10 cm long) that grow up the hairy stems. The flowers are white (rarely pink) with yellow centres and grow in clusters at the top of the plant. Cultivated varieties sometimes have differently-coloured flowers. They grow commonly throughout British Columbia, particularly in open areas like clearings, meadows or along the edges of roads or woods.

Uses: To scratch the surface of the many uses of this wonder-plant, yarrow has sedative, pain-killing, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmodic constituents. For tea or medicinal purposes the flowers are preferred, but the whole herb (which is more bitter) can also be used. Internally the plant has been used to treat fevers, colds and diarrhea, cool burns, soothe earaches, and purify blood. The plant stimulates salivation and has been used to improve appetite and digestion.

Externally yarrow has been used to stop bleeding, treat sores, mosquito bites, sore eyes, pimples, and as a hair rinse. Smoking it is said to relieve headaches and mashed leaves or roots have been used topically to soothe sore teeth. Some people smear the leaves on their skin to keep mosquitoes at bay. Its insecticidal properties have been taken advantage of by starlings, who sometimes line their nests with the plants thereby reducing insect parasites; and studies have shown yarrow oil effectively killing mosquito larvae. While sometimes planted in gardens yarrow does have a tendency to spread; the dried herb has been used in powders, perfumes, and floral arrangements. Though not often used for food, yarrow has been parboiled as a vegetable, and in Sweden has been used in place of hops to make beer.

Harvest: Flowers can be harvested as they start to bloom in the summer, but before they open completely. Snap the flowers off by hand before they open, or use pruners if you get to them a bit later in the season. Harvesting in cool weather is advisable to avoid heat damage.

Preparation: The plant can be used fresh or dried for teas and tinctures. For drying, leaves or stems can be tied into bundles and hung to dry at 21- 32^oC,or spread out on drying racks which may take from a couple days to up to 2 weeks. Wood heat provides a nice even heat for drying if available. The leaves, flowers and roots dry at different speeds and so should be dried separately. They can then be stored in opaque, air tight containers. The shelf life is about 1 year; after this the herb may be suitable for tinctures.

Caution: Yarrow contains thujone which can be toxic if consumed in large quantities; some people may be sensitive to yarrow applied on the skin and develop dermatitis

Bright Blessings

this past 5 days
has been a reminder
to me
of what is truly important

Ancient Riders

From the website: www.ancientriders.org

'The Ancient Riders is a group for motorcycle enthusiasts who are pagan. All bikes are welcome. All people who ride are welcome, we are however a Pagan organization. By Pagan we mean that our religious and philosophical beliefs are Pagan. As Pagan people our spiritual paths are earth based. Our group is open to Wiccans, Druids, Celts, Asatru, and any other Pagan paths.

As free people we are not bound to conventional mores. We are responsible people who encourage safe responsible riding. We are also free thinkers who live life to the fullest and experience all we can. We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, or brand of bike. All are welcome. We don't care what your spiritual path, or motorcycle make, let's live life in peace as brothers and sisters."

Full Flower Moon....

May

In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time.

Thus, the name of this Moon.

Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.

Merc in Retro!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news....but...
(isn't but the liar's word?)

Mercury in Retrograde is BACK ...
from yesterday (May 7th) until June 14th.
gak!

Get out your red candles all ye
witches and warlocks
all fae and sprite
all wee folk
good folk, elementals alike
all nymphs, and pixies
and centaurs too

remember your blessings
people of peace and fair folk

keep red fire burning
to ward off the blight!

Blessed Beltane

It is a fact that May Day, which the children do enjoy with all vibes, is not an overly prominent holiday in America. Yet, it does have a long and notable history as one of the world's principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals it too has a Pagan connection.

For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.














Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today's customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.

May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn't have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.















The tradition of Maypole and greeneries:
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were erected permanently.

The Maypole tradition suffered a setback for about a couple of decades since the Puritan Long Parliament stopped it in 1644. However, with the return of the Stuarts, the Maypole reappeared and the festivities of May Day were again enjoyed. One of the great Maypoles, was
The changes brought about by the Reformation included attempts to do away with practices that were obviously of pagan origin. But the Maypole, or, May tree, was not issued in practice at the behest of the second Stuart.

Although they succeeded in doing this, Maypole with most of the other traditions, many still survived. And Maypole is one of them. In France it merely changed its name. In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the "Tree of Liberty" and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.












Maypoles and trees:
Trees have been linked to a part of celebration, perhaps, to the days ancient New Year rites. The association of trees to this celebration has come riding on the back of the spring festival in ancient Europe. Trees have always been the symbol of the great vitality and fertility of nature and were often used at the spring festivals of antiquity. The anthropologist E. O. James finds a strong relationship between the ancient tree related traditions of the British and the Romans. According to James' description, as a part of the May Day celebration, the youths in old Europe cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top. They then wrapped it round with violets like the figure of the Attis, the ancient Roman god. At sunrise, they used to take it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. In a similar manner, the sacred pine tree representing the god Attis was carried in procession to the temple of Cybele on Rome's Palatine Hill during the Spring Festival of March 22.

Roots of May Day celebration in America:
The Puritans frowned on May Day, so the day has never been celebrated with as much enthusiasm in the United States as in Great Britain. But the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks -- are all the leftovers of the old European traditions.