Everyday Herbs in Spiritual Life

Micheal J. Caduto

Description

Enhance and enrich your spiritual journey with the power of herbs.

Herbs have been essential to spiritual beliefs and practices throughout time and history. From Christian Scripture to Hindu observances, Jewish ritual to early Islamic literature, Native American traditions to Buddhist symbolism, plants are seen as a blessing from God and a way to remain in harmony with Spirit.

In this fun, informative and engaging guide, you will be delighted by the history of the religious and spiritual use of herbs in many faith traditions and inspired by creative ideas on how to use herbs for spiritual growth. Unique and soul-strengthening activities can teach you how to:

• Create herbal art inspired by your faith
• Craft herbal wreaths, pillows and soaps from herbs selected for their spiritual qualities
• Prepare herbal teas, infused oils, meals and condiments with herbs chosen for their ability to nurture, strengthen and heal
• Make candles infused with herbs that promote balance and centering
• Nourish the soul with herbal sachets and potpourri
• Use incense and smudge sticks to imbue clarity and purity
• Design a simple herb garden of plants chosen from among different spiritual traditions
• Construct spaces in which to use herbs for reflection and meditation

Sujets

• Plants
• Sciences et techniques
• Nature

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 28 juin 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781594734595
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

O THER B OOKS A VAILABLE IN T HE A RT OF S PIRITUAL L IVING S ERIES
Giving-The Sacred Art :
Creating a Lifestyle of Generosity
By Lauren Tyler Wright
Hospitality-The Sacred Art :
Discovering the Hidden Spiritual Power of Invitation and Welcome
By Rev. Nanette Sawyer
Running-The Sacred Art :
Preparing to Practice
By Warren A. Kay
The Sacred Art of Bowing :
Preparing to Practice
By Andi Young
The Sacred Art of Chant :
Preparing to Practice
By Ana Hern ndez
The Sacred Art of Fasting :
Preparing to Practice
By Thomas Ryan, CSP
The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness :
Preparing to Practice
By Rabbi Rami Shapiro
Thanking and Blessing-The Sacred Art :
Spiritual Vitality through Gratefulness
By Jay Marshall, PhD
For the
Green Hearts
and Healers
who nourish us all.
C ONTENTS
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. H EALING H ERBALS
A Touch of Scent
Growing an Herbal Heart
Purification and Protection: Smudging
Purification and Protection: Scents of Protection
Purification and Protection: Garlic Wreath
Cards for Celebration
Cards for Solace
Treatments from Trees
Pillow of Peace and Protection
2. O F A ESTHETICS , S PIRIT , AND V IRTUE
A Wreath of Pure Beauty
Sachets of Courage
Bathing Balm
Soap for the Spirit
A Light of Life
3. F EEDING THE S PIRIT , G IVING T HANKS
Easter Carnival (Rustic) Pie and Pepper Biscuits
Herbal Easter Eggs
Herbal Easter Basket
Herbal Christmas Decorations
Herbal Christmas Tree Centerpiece
Herbs on a Cone
Hanukkah Candles
Valentine s Day Heart for the Heart
Valentine s Day Card
Ramadan Beverage
Pots of Herbs
Interfaith Manna from Heaven
Ritual Cleansing for Meals
Daily Havdalah Spice Box
Egyptian-Style Thanksgiving Garland
Pots of Potpourri
4. C IRCLE OF L IFE
Herbal Memorial: Lustral Water
Herbal Memorial: Egyptian Floral Bouquet
Bereavement Bouquet
Egyptian Herbal Oil
Marriage Blessing: Marjoram Marriage Garlands
Marriage Blessing: Flower Blessing Rings
Egyptian Wedding Bouquet
Tea for Two
Promise of Pomanders
Herbal Newlywed Blessings
Baby Blessings and Milk Biscuits
5. C OSMIC H ERBALS
A Cosmic Herbal Garden
Protective Herbs for the Cosmic Garden
Heaven and Earth
Cosmic Labyrinth
Cosmic Community Centerpieces
Lavender Birds of Peace
6. R EFLECTION AND M EDITATION
Retreat, Respite, Rose
Herbs of Meditation
Totality Tea
Art of Herbal Reflection: Driftwood Herbals
Art of Herbal Reflection: Herbal Ball
Art of Herbal Reflection: The Art of Knowing
Seeds of Success
Mesopotamian Meditation Incense
7. T HE P RACTICAL R EALM
Planning and Designing an Herb Garden
Choosing and Obtaining Herbs for Your Garden
Preparing the Soil
Caring for Plants
Harvesting and Preserving Herbs
Appendix: Sources for Herbs, Seeds, and Herbal Supplies
Glossary and Index of Herbs and Flowers
Index of Activities
Credits
L ISTS OF H ERBS
Herbs for Healing
Herbs for Aesthetics, Spirit, and Virtue
Herbs for Feeding the Spirit and Giving Thanks
Herbs and Flowers for Circle of Life
Cosmic Herbs, Flowers, and Fruits
Herbs and Flowers for Reflection and Meditation
About the Author
Copyright
Also Available
About SkyLight Paths
F OREWORD
I have been a long-time admirer of Michael Caduto s writings. He is a fellow Vermonter, a superb storyteller, and he writes of things dear to my heart. In Everyday Herbs in Spiritual Life , Michael offers a special gift to all of us who love plants and yearn for a deeper connection with the world around us. It is both a practical and spiritual guide to the use of herbs and how they can influence and affect our lives in the most positive ways.
There are endless books about herbs these days. The subject has become quite popular. There are books on herb gardening, herbal healing, on the culinary wonders of herbs, on traditional uses and folklore, and on clinical and scientific research. The mind and senses can wander almost endlessly through this wonderful maze of written information about these humble but very powerful plants. But there are few books that explore our deeper spiritual relationship to plants and fewer books that do so in such a practical and easily accessible manner.
That is what makes this book stand out among the plethora of herb books on my shelf and why I appreciate the author and his writings so much. This is a book that enters into the spiritual nature of our life on earth and how we as a species have developed in relationship to plants. Caduto has perfected the skill of weaving wisdom through the medium of stories. He takes us on a journey around the globe, collecting tales and traditions of herbal practices that people have used to help connect them to Spirit, or God in all of God s many radiant forms, and to the earth as well. We visit the spiritual traditions and herbal practices of Islam and Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism, Christianity and indigenous First Nations people, among others. We learn how these cultures used plants in their everyday practices to enhance or deepen their connection to the spirit worlds or the world of spirit/God/Goddess. The stories, poems, and remembrances included herein are woven together into a beautiful tapestry of green wisdom that throughout history has anchored humankind to the earth and lifted us to the heavens.
Even more than just a book of history and folklore, Caduto instructs us with gentle guidance and simple steps on how to reclaim these traditions in our own lives. Throughout the book are many activities and projects that involve us with the green world and that are designed to bring more value into our lives. These activities are not only meaningful, but delightfully fun as well. They can be done with children, with elders, with neighbors and the neighborhood to bring deeper meaning and awareness to family events and celebrations. There are herbal activities to enhance meals, holidays, weddings, and births, and for grief and renewal-simple ceremonies that bring more life and significance to these events.
There is an ancient power and beauty embedded in plants and our relationship to them that serves to connect us both to our roots (our physical body) and to our spirit (our soul or spiritual self). Perhaps it is because plants themselves are so deeply rooted in the earth and reach upward to the heavens. Perhaps it is because they are so ancient, arriving on this earth long before we arrived as a species. Our life has evolved in relationship to our botanical friends. We depend on them for our very breath (they create and breathe out the oxygen we need to survive), our food, our medicine, and, yes, even for their spiritual guidance.
The teachings here in this wonderful book are designed to enter your heart and enrich your life. They are simple but profound; easy and accessible, rooted in history, passed down through the ages, designed to become part of your traditions, celebrations, and ceremonies. Plants sing to us in our gardens, reach out to us in the woodlands. They become part of us as food, spices, tea-and fill our lives with beauty. What would a world without plants be? They serve as medicine and manna not only for the body but spirit as well. Everyday Herbs in Spiritual Life is a feast for the spirit and will serve in the most beautiful way to bring herbs back into the sacred practice of everyday living.
Rosemary Gladstar, cofounder,
Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center
and Botanical Sanctuary
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
Everyday Herbs in Spiritual Life was a joy to write. Ever since I worked on a small farm as a teenager, and later took my first undergraduate courses in agriculture and field botany, I have been passionate about plants. I love nothing more than to lead a group through an herb garden, or along a trail through the woodlands and meadows to interpret the facts, folklore, and fascinating lives of herbs all around us.
Within the pages of this book, I tried to convey the sense of a field experience. Fortunately, the writing took place while the snow blew past my window and plants slumbered, or I would never have been able to pull my wife, Marie Levesque Caduto, out of our garden long enough for her to sit down and read the manuscript. Marie offered many comments and suggestions and helped make certain that the activities work the way they should.
Holistic and eclectic, this book required expert readers from diverse backgrounds and interests. John Forti, Curator of Historic Landscapes at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, gave generously of his time in the midst of a hectic schedule, reviewing the manuscript for accuracy and clarity. Many scholars offered their expertise about information concerning the various spiritual traditions, including Rabbi Mike Comins, Sanjeev Joshi, Girish Shirhatti, Mu Soeng, Sohaib N. Sultan, and Mark Ogilbee.
Maura D. Shaw, Ana Hern ndez, and Susan F. Jones all helped to shape the original concept of Everyday Herbs . In addition, Maura generously offered suggestions for activities, including one of my favorites, Herbal Newlywed Blessings. Rosemary Gladstar-author, renowned herbalist, and founder of the Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center-kindly agreed to write the thoughtful foreword.
The neat, attractive volume you now hold was crafted by the wonderfully talented and patient staff of SkyLight Paths Publishing, who carry forth the good work of publisher Stuart M. Matlins. Every writer s spurts of creative growth need to be pruned, and both the editorial and design teams of SkyLight Paths are among the best gardeners of books. Project editors Mark Ogilbee; Lauren Seidman; and Sarah McBride; as well as Emily Wichland, vice president of editorial and production; gently weeded and shaped the manuscript into a book. Jenny Buono, Tim Holtz, and Kristi Menter, book and cover designers, crafted an elegant and accessible layout that artfully weaves together the many elements herein