Herbalism is not up to as much individual interpretation as the Witchcraft or Paganism. Although there is plenty of room to incorporate your spirituality and intuition, there are some strict rules and facts that must be respected. The rules set forth in the “Basic” lessons like this one and others that follow ensure your safety and success as an herbalist.
The old adage, “a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing”, certainly applies to herbalism! Dangerous information abounds on the internet and even in books written by experts. Recently while visiting another website, I discovered a recommendation to use pennyroyal essential oil internally to soothe headaches. While it is true that the fragrance of this herb can relieve some types of headaches in some individuals, the pure essential oil should generally not be taken internally. It can cause many complications, not the least of which is its action as an abortifacient.
The fault of this particular webmaster was that he or she had plagiarized an excerpt from a book. Although the webmaster did not directly copy the passage from the book, he or she had loosely re-written it, and in doing so had omitted important information.
Misinformation
The glut of dangerous information like the example above stems from plagiarism, copyright infringement, or wannabe teachers trying to pass on some knowledge they do not actually understand. Web sites with bad information are used as resources by other webmasters, and the bad information found online gets progressively worse as new pages are made using the information found on disreputable sites.
Fads are another source of misinformation. There are many web sites touting the latest herbal “cure-all”, or emphasizing the dangers of some dietary staple. Everything from “Herbal Viagra” to “Herbal Prozac” is sold like the old-time snake oil through email spam and many thousands of web sites. An herbal yohimbine supplement may increase blood flow to the genital area, but there are many other things to consider before using it as a sexual enhancement. Herbs and plants are wondrous, but cannot be used in such ways without a true understanding of their properties. A healthy respect for the botanicals you will be working with will ensure a healthy body, mind, and spirit!
Yet another source of misinformation is the concerned friend or neighbor who has become a fanatic in their diet and wishes to help you. Their chosen diet may have been incredibly helpful in boosting their health, but they may be misguided by misinformation for the two reasons mentioned above. In addition, their fanaticism in regards to their diet may be displayed with such fervor that they believe their way is the best or only way for everyone.
Such dietary fanaticism can be seen with any type of diet or herbal plan from vegan and gluten-free to daily high doses of herbal supplements. These entirely legitimate diets can be taken to extremes and pushed onto others by well-intentioned friends. For example, 120mg of ginkgo supplement may increase blood circulation to the brain and extremities (fingers and toes) but if taken in too high a dose or with other blood thinners, it can cause serious medical complications.
In this course, we deal with cold, hard, clinical, and scientific facts in regards to herbs and their physical properties. This is not to say that magical and traditional herbalism is ignored! In fact, the most recent clinical studies will be cited alongside the most ancient references to an herb or botanical.
Through the process of blending the best of the old world, magic, and tradition along with the best of modern science, we can create a new type of herbalism. The lessons in this course will combine a total of three knowledge bases and will be referred to as the SMY method.
SMY Method of Herbalism:
- Scientific Studies and Analyses
- Magical, Traditional & Historical Resources
- Your Intuition and Creativity
You will use these three knowledge bases to make your own brews and potions by the end of the course and the SMY method will be periodically discussed in later lessons.
Hygiene:
The word hygiene is derived from the name of the Greek Goddess of healing and health, Hygia1. Hygia is the daughter of Asclepius and Epione in Greek myth. Many scholars suggest there is evidence showing that she was associated with ancient lunar cults and that she was also named Athena.
“I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asklepios, and Hygeia, and Panakeia, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath … “
~The Hippocratic Oath~
Hygiene is the conditions and practices that promote health, and good hygiene is essential for any practicing herbalist. You will need a clean area in your home to work. I don’t mean fanatically organized, alphabetized, and categorized, simply a very clean area and a clear work surface.
Your Work Area
In an ideal world where money and space in your home are not issues, a hutch similar to the ones in the picture would be ideal. The countertop like shelf can be covered in a piece of glass to protect it from spills. A local window store or glass cutter will make a custom piece for about $30 or less. Holes can be cut in the back of the unit to allow electrical cords for coffee grinders and blenders to be threaded through. The smaller shelves above will hold many jars of herbs and the larger shelves or drawers below will accommodate larger bowls, bulky herbs, and other utensils. New designs in office furniture made to accommodate computers can also be fantastic herbal cupboards. These computer “armoires” usually fold open to reveal shelf space in the doors and a large work surface. This allows you to store your herbs in clear jars while closing the cupboard to keep out light when not in active use.
You certainly don’t need to purchase a new piece of furniture! Look around your home and see if there is a place you can make into your own little herb corner. All you really need is a hard, spill-proof surface and a place to store appliances, dishes, utensils, and herbs. If there isn’t a kitchen cupboard that you can free up or a bookshelf available, look at your local thrift stores and garage sales.
I found my first herb hutch while living on a rural commune. It was a pie cabinet (also known as a jelly cupboard) that had been abandoned in a field near an old homestead. The owners of the property had stacked it on a pile of brush in preparation for the burn season. After asking the property owners if I could have it (and receiving some strange looks). I dragged it out, disinfected it, cut off the rotted legs, and painted it. A few years later when I could afford to “upgrade” to a new shelf, I sold this salvaged hutch for $50 at my garage sale!
Be creative and look around. You’ll find just the right setup for yourself. Remember that you may outgrow one hutch so don’t spend too much money upfront. Use some free space in the kitchen or a bookshelf and see if you can work with what you have around your home first.
While searching for a workspace, keep in mind the major causes of herb spoilage: heat, light, humidity, and oxygen. A dark cupboard may not look as nice as your glass curio cabinet, but it may be better suited for herb storage.
Promoting Hygiene
Now that you have found a work area, let’s get back to hygiene, beginning with some basic guidelines. These tips will keep your home and herb work safer.
- Check to see if the food in the refrigerator is moldy before you open it! If you have molding bread in the corner of the kitchen, don’t open the bag! Look through the plastic and “When in doubt, throw it out!” Opening the bag (or container from the refrigerator) will release mold spores all over the house. These spores can infect other foods, herbs, and potions!
- When making a potion, keep the windows of your house closed, and avoid working in drafty areas. Air currents can spread spores and other contaminants from outside and from other areas of your house. Note that if a recipe specifically states to work in a ventilated area, disregard this tip.
- Before you begin any project, clean your work surface with a sanitizing spray, alcohol wipe, or disinfecting wipe. Also, make sure your tools and containers are clean. There are two recipes for sanitizing washes at the end of this lesson.
- Always wash your hands before you begin a project, and if you are working with irritating oils or herb, wear latex gloves. Some of the recipes in this course will specifically instruct you to wear gloves. These “surgical” gloves can be purchased at most drug stores or pharmacies for about a dime (ten cents) per pair. Also check your local hardware store, big-box store (in the pharmacy or house cleaning departments), or home improvement center for boxes of these gloves in bulk. A box of 100 gloves is usually less than $10. Select neoprene (usually blue or green) or vinyl. Latex gloves may cause sensitivity in some people, but the reason they are not used in this course is that most essential oils and vegetable oils will destabilize latex and make it “melt”.
- Always remember that just because something is natural or herbal doesn’t mean it is safe. Some of the most powerful and deadly poisons in the world are from “natural” or botanical sources. Henbane, aconite, foxglove, and belladonna have amazing magical properties, but it is all too easy to kill a child, pet, friend, or yourself if you don’t know all of their powers. Harm none!
- Avoid cross-contamination by using clean utensils. For example, when you are instructed to mix a spoonful of dirt with a spoonful of an herb, don’t use the same spoon you used in the dirt to measure the herb from the jar! Keep an eye out at garage sales and thrift stores for extra sets of stainless steel measuring spoons. You can never have too many of these! (You can use kitchen cup hooks to mount these to your herb hutch such as on an inside door, or near your work area for convenience. I use a large magnet designed to hold a chef’s knives.)
- Store all your potions, herbs, and botanicals in clean containers! The heat sanitizing setting on many dishwashers is perfect for cleaning large numbers of herb jars. If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can dip already clean containers in the disinfecting wash (see the bottom of this page). Allow them to completely air dry before use.
- Air Dry Containers & Tools: Towel drying disinfected containers can spread contaminants from the towel onto everything.
- Keep your dish racks clean. If you have a dishwasher this shouldn’t be a problem, but if you hand wash, be sure to use the disinfecting wash at the bottom of this page at least once a week on your drying racks.
General Purpose Sanitizing Spray:
- 2 Cups 70% Rubbing Alcohol (This is the type sold in most drug stores and pharmacies.)
- 1/2 Cup Vinegar or Lemon Juice
- 1 Pinch of Salt (Sea Salt or Table Salt- this is for purification physically and magically)
Mix all the ingredients and store in a plastic spray bottle. Spray your work surface with this solution prior to any project and wipe dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
The alcohol sanitizes and will dissolve many oils, and of course most alcohol-soluble chemicals. The water contained in the rubbing alcohol (the other 30% of a 70% Isopropyl2) will dissolve water-soluble chemicals and aid in the removal of “herb dust” and resin powders. The vinegar or lemon juice acidifies the solution and helps to dissolve acid-soluble chemicals. The salt and acid will hinder the growth of molds, fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc. This spray can be used on most hard surfaces and leaves a streak-free shine on glass.
Disinfecting Wash:
- 2 Cups Water
- 1/4 Cup Household Bleach
- Optional: 1 or 2 drops of laundry soap or Jet Dry®
This solution is somewhat less environmentally friendly than the sanitizing spray, and should only be used when disinfecting is necessary, or when you are directed to use it in a project. To disinfect your work surface, first, clean it with soap and water or the Sanitizing Spray above. Then swab the surface with this wash and allow it to stand for 10 minutes. Wipe dry with clean paper towels.
Caution: Make sure you use laundry soap suitable for use with chlorine bleach. Do not use dish detergent or other “soaps” that indicate on the label that they should not be used with bleach. Combining these chemicals causes a toxic chlorine gas to be released. Jet Dry®and laundry soap helps to break the surface tension of the mixture, allowing it to penetrate mold and fungi spores, and cut through oils for better disinfecting. Use regular, unscented, not ultra-concentrated bleach from the laundry aisle in your store. Do not use this solution in a spray bottle. Bleach can damage sensitive tissue, mucous membranes, and the lining of the lungs. Wear rubber gloves when using this solution. This wash will bleach your clothing so be careful not to spill it!
Although this recipe does contain bleach, it is generally regarded as safer than many of the antibacterial cleaners available. The antibacterial agents in such cleaners have been detected in groundwater, rivers, and streams. Household bleach breaks down quickly into sodium and water, and household use in this manner very rarely reaches the environment. The active ingredient in household bleach, sodium hypochlorite, is considered to be “unstable” because it biodegrades so quickly. That said, this is a disinfecting spray for occasional use only when indicated, or if there is an illness in your home.
And finally, three quick safety tips to remember:
- Try to wear natural cotton, hemp, or flax materials that do not readily react with chemicals. Polyester and nylon can “melt” into your skin when exposed to heat or certain oils and chemicals, and thin, gauzy rayon fabrics are extremely flammable.
- Get a fire extinguisher and keep it nearby. Read the label carefully to make sure it is rated ABC. Small fire extinguishers are available in many stores for about $15 to $25. Mount the extinguisher to your herb hutch or near your stove.
- Safety goggles. They look funny, they are hot, they suck. Buy them, wear them, love them. If a recipe instructs you to use safety goggles, don’t ignore the instructions.
References & Resources
A word to remember: Potable means suitable for drinking, or food safe.
1. Hygia can also be spelled Hygeia and Hygieia.
2. See the comments at the bottom of this lesson for more information about alcohol percentages in the sanitizing spray.