How to Support an Herbal Call-to-Action

Edit: Since I wrote this post I’ve created an ongoing resource on herbal call-to-actions and other community organizing needs.

I've enjoy sending (and bringing) herbal remedies to protests and community apothecaries. Answering an herbal call-to-action is a simple way to support community and grow the revolution towards a more kind and more just society. Many of my herbal peers do the same, but this summer there was some of the largest outpouring of herbal support that I have seen in recent years. There were call-to-actions spurred on by the Orlando Grief Care Project in response to the Pulse massacre, multiple for local Black Lives Matter groups, and later by the needs of the ongoing Standing Rock Camp.

First, let's take a moment to appreciate the time, energy, and sheer will of organizing that the Orlando Grief Care Project continues to maintain. The original call for donations to create herbal care packages for friends, family, first responders, and other community members in the wake of the the Pulse nightclub shooting has transformed into the Herbal Action Network (you should join!). I'm really excited to see the direction that the Herbal Action Network is headed in and hopefully it means that there is an easier and more effective way to alert the vast, diverse, and awesome herbal community of call-to-action needs.

Read the Call to Action Carefully

Communities know what they need and if they have put together a specific list of requests as well as instructions for proper packaging, mailing, etc. then please make their jobs that much easier by following their guidelines. The healers and medics at Standing Rock Camp, for example, requested alcohol-free remedies to support the rules of the camp. The Orlando Grief Care Project requested Bach Rescue Remedy and Rose-based remedies. Our work as herbal support is to reduce the amount of work that the organizing team is having to do. Pay attention to the details!

Choose Accessible + Appropriate Remedies

If you have read the call-to-action, then hopefully you will know what sort of situation your donations will be headed to. Is it a mobile street medic operation? A long-standing clinic? Is the purpose to have clients come and see herbalists or for herbalists to go out and distribute remedies to the community? When I have donated to up-and-coming or already established location-based apothecaries I'll send larger 4 to 8 ounce jars of liquid extracts or bulk bags of herbs. If, in the case of the Orlando Grief Project, I know that the remedies are being put in care packages, I made sure to prepare and send easily distributed remedies in individual-use packaging.

Unless requested, I don't send herbs that require greater attention and expertise regarding dosage such as Lobelia (Lobelia inflata) or Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). I stick to herbs that are generally considered safe such as Milky Oat (Avena sativa), Elder (Sambucus nigra), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Rose (Rosa damascena) to name just a few.

Hot Tip! Whenever making good first-aid and crisis care type remedies for yourself, your business or community, make a few extra to keep on hand to mail out quickly when a call-to-action arises.

Limit Packaging Waste + Keep It Organized

Regarding packaging waste, be mindful of where you are sending your box. If you're sending it to an encampment with limited trash management capabilities, be as streamlined and minimal in your packaging as possible. Write letters of support on the inner flaps and walls of the box, for example, so as not to include access paper waste.

If I am sending multiple packages at once I will label the outside of the boxes "Box 1 of 3" and so on, so that the organizing team has a quick visual clue that they should be expecting more than one package from me. It it also nice for when boxes are being quickly organized and stored.  

I know what it is like to receive a well-packed and organized package for an event versus a chaotic cacophony of stuff. Remember that we are wanting what we send to feel supportive, inspiring, and help the organizing team feel good as well as serve those who need help.

Label Clearly

Poorly labeled remedies are such a waste and add extra work to the organizing team. Employing clear labeling practices is an easy way to prevent a lot of confusion. Here is what a clear and useful label should contain:

• Name of remedy

• Common and latin binomial name of every herb contained

• Any additional contents such as type of alcohol, water, glycerin, etc.

• Date made and best used by date

• Brief instructions on use

  • Sometimes this does not fit on a label, so I will include a handout (or handouts if herbal care packages are being made) on recommended use.

• Your name and contact information (such as a website)

Hot Tip! Have a base label ready to go either printed out for you to fill in by hand with all of the above information or one that can easily be filled out on your computer and printed. 

Promote!

Whether or not you send remedies, promoting the call-to-action is vital in making sure that the herbal community knows that help is needed and for those who need help to know that they have resources they can access. You don't have to be an herbalist to promote and it is of immense help to those of us who have less time to do it because we are actively making remedies to send.

One great way of promoting and making remedies to send is to have a remedy-making party. Invite over friends and family, educate them about the call-to-action and then teach them how to make a simple remedy that everyone can then recreate then and there in bulk. It is a fun community-building way to educate and disseminate resources!

Have any other tips for supporting an herbal call-to-action? Leave your hot tips and insights in the comments below!

Scorpio: The Astroherbology Profile

Let’s learn about our Scorpion selves.

I will be exploring all twelve signs from a medical astrology perspective with an emphasis on herbal healing. To learn more about the series and what all the correspondences mean check out the introduction to The Introduction to Astroherbology Series. Missed the other signs of the Zodiac? Find out about the astroherbology wisdom of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, and Libra!

Element: Water
Mode: Fixed
Guardian Planet: Mars (traditional), Pluto (modern)
Direction: Northeast
Season: Autumn (NH), Spring (SH)
House: 8th House / Succedent
Lunar Mansions: 17th Mansion, 18th Mansion, + 19th Mansion
Solar Gemstone: Red Jasper
Tarot: Death, Judgement, 5 of Cups (10/23 - 11/1), 6 of Cups (11/2 - 11/12), 7 of Cups (11/13 - 11/ 22), Knight of Cups
Tissue State: Damp/Stagnation Tissue State (learn more about the energetic system of traditional western herbalism)

Body Systems: 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.

Imbalances + Diseases: Diseases and imbalances of the womb. Sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive organ imbalances. Irregular menses. Disorders of the bladder including bladder infections, ureteral stones, and blockages. Swollen uterus and/or penis. Infertility, low sperm count, premature ejaculation. Candida. Parasites. Hemorrhoids, prostate inflammation,  inflammation, ruptures, fistulas, and inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn’s disease. Swollen glands, excess mucous, discharges, and excessive sweating. All diseases that occur from bites, stings, and poisonings. Epidemic diseases. Disorders of the nose and nasal obstructions. Goiter. Appendicitis. Bow legs. Becoming possessive and resentful. Having a bad reputation (whether or not it is earned). Choosing deceptive behavior to gain power and affection. Tyrannical and treacherous. Prone to extremes and excessiveness. Distrustful, suspicious, and secretive. Reckless, rebellious, and rash.

Disease Degrees: 0 degree: drowning, eyesight; 1 degree: drowning, eyesight, urethra; 2 degrees: urethral meatus, drowning, eyesight; 3 degrees: prostate, uterus, drowning, eyesight; 4 degrees: testicles, right side of uterus, drowning, eyesight; 5 degrees: testicles, left side of uterus, drowning, eyesight; 6 degrees: right epididymus, uterine cavity, drowning, eyesight; 7 degrees: left epididymus, right fallopian tube; 8 degrees: scrotum, left fallopian tube; 9 degrees: sperm duct, vagina, alcoholism; 10 degrees: corpus cavernous of penis, neurasthenia; 11 degrees: penis, labia majora, neurasthenia; 12 degrees: seminal vesicles, Bright’s disease; 13 degrees: vulva, labia minora, glans penis, chronic glomerulonephritis,  Bright’s disease; 14 degrees: foreskin, poisoning; 15 degrees: cooper’s gland, poisoning; 16 degrees: right ovary, cochlea of inner ear, abscesses; 17 degrees: testicular lobes, left ovary, abscesses; 18 degrees: vas deferens, hymen, hair, appendix; 19 degrees: uterine ligaments, Haller’s net, azimene, appendix; 20 degrees: ligaments of penis, bartholin’s glands, goiter, poisoning; 21 degrees: sphenoid sinus, poisoning; 22 degrees: ethmoid bone and ligaments, poisoning; 23 degrees: nasal bone, fimbria of fallopian tubes, rheumatism; 24 degrees: nasal septum, rheumatism, alcoholism; 25 degrees: coccyx, fallopian tubes, alcoholism, adenoids, muteness, tonsils, factures, broken bones; 26 degrees: perineum, alcoholism, adenoids, muteness, tonsils, factures, broken bones; 27 degrees: anus, memory, poisoning; 28 degrees: mucous membranes, azimene, consumption, poisoning, stings, depression; 29 degrees: vomer, consumption, poisoning, stings, depression, blindness, impaired vision, stings, poisoning. 30 degrees: nasal muscles.

Remedies for Imbalanced and/or Weakened Scorpio: Herbs that are detoxifying, promoting elimination, and have a warming and quickening quality. Regularly scheduled detoxifying activities, whether physical detoxification at a spa or emotional detoxification through journaling, therapy or other activities. Pursuing regenerative energy. Creating cathartic spaces of healing. Focusing inherent intensity into art, research, and magickal mysteries. Celebrating complexity as a gift not a burden or reason to be distrustful.

Gifts of Scorpio: Renewal, sexual complexity and wisdom, magnetism, psychic awareness, intensity.

Rituals of Scorpio: Magickal arts of all types, psychic development, erotic arts, labor and birth celebrations, cathartic renewals.

Scorpio Guardian Herbs: Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus), Basil (Ocimum spp.), Nettles (Urtica dioica), Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.), Barberry (Berberis vulgaris), Oregon Grape Root (Mahonia spp.), Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota), Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), Ginseng (Panax ginseng).

Scorpio Remedy Herbs: Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris), Aloe (Aloe barbadensis), Nettles (Urtica dioica), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus), Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa).

Flower + Gem Essences: Pink Monkeyflower (Mimulus lewisii), Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Peridot, Labradorite, Bloodstone.

The Sun in Scorpio

Ah, the realm of the Sun in Scorpio is a shadowy place of deep secrets and ancient mysteries - or so that is what many a taloned-tailed Scorpion would have you think. It is quite true that many Scorpio folk are drawn to the mysterious, the arcane, and the ancient. For some it is an aesthetic and for others it is a life calling. They are, in fact, drawn towards greater depths of intimacy than many of us dare tread, not only physical intimacy (though Scorpio is the guardian of reproductive organs, especially their external display and their connection to sexuality), but psychic and emotional intimacy. Scorpio folk seek subtlety and vulnerability, especially in their connection to power and potential. Depending on how they’re relationship skills are and where there level of compassion is, they can cause lots of conflict or incredible moments of ecstatic self-realization. 

Health-wise, Scorpio folk have a tendency to accumulate toxins. They are a fixed water sign (as opposed to the cardinal Cancer or the mutable Pisces) and their still waters can easily take on too much toxicity, whether it is physical toxicity from environmental poisoning or emotional toxicity from letting feelings simmer and brew instead of being released. Stagnation and lack of warmth are often found at the foundation of Scorpio health imbalances. Scorpio folk do already have an inherent detoxifying quality that is stronger in them than most other signs - they tend to push the toxins out of their bodies leading to possibilities of chronic acne, poor body odor, excess sweat, diarrhea, and/or irritability. It is, therefore, so important for Scorpio folk to come to the surface with scheduled regularity and gently detoxify so they don’t find themselves at a point when serious detoxification and intervention is needed having overworked their own inherent cleansing systems. While Scorpio folk tend towards chronic imbalances, they are extraordinarily sturdy and feisty fighters when it comes to regaining their health.

Scorpio folks can be tricky companions at times, but their friendship is well worth the effort, especially when clear boundaries of behavior are established. They teach us how to chase after the mysterious with ecstatic focus and to experience the mystical, rather than just reading about it. They can be persnickety and manipulative when out of balance and their ability to successfully but inappropriately control a situation stems from a twisted use of their gift of emotional intelligence (notice I wrote intelligence and not wisdom - that’s a mini Scorpio lesson for you). Yet, when they are in balance and behaving wisely Scorpio folk help to illuminate how our vulnerabilities make us that much more wise and how to use them as a compass for our own magickal adventures.

Scorpio Guardian Herbs

Blessed Thistle from Franz Eugen Köhler's Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen

Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus)

Spiky and unexpectedly useful, Blessed Thistle is already distinguished as a Scorpio herb by the doctrine of signatures. Blessed Thistle has recorded use since ancient Greece and is a powerful bitter herb that awakens a damp and weak digestion (listen for sounds of gurgling as well as feelings of distention and flatulence). The herb is used as a treatment for malaria - malaria is caused by a parasite and parasitic diseases are fall under the sign of Scorpio. Blessed Thistle detoxifies drugs and alcohol from the body and has historic use by American Indians, such as the Quinault, as a contraceptive. The herb is an emmenagogue which also helps to bring on delayed menses and clears out excess phlegm and damp from the body, yet, it is not overly drying. In fact, Blessed Thistle, is far more regulating of bodily fluids and is a superb breastfeeding ally for supporting a healthy supply of milk.

The herb is also a nervine and can be used to relieve spastic pain and headaches, especially when brought on by nervous tension. The herb surrounds us in protective energy while helping us to clear out the muck, including brain fog, and reawaken our inner spark. Blessed Thistle can also help with the release of old emotions and it uplifts the spirits when taken over the long term (both useful and needed for Scorpio folk). The essence is particularly helpful in bringing wisdom from the ether into our physical reality. Topically, the herb can be used for boils, shingles, weepy eczema, and bleeding. 

Enjoy a full Blessed Thistle profile and more insight all herbs of the zodiac in Lunar Apothecary!

Scorpio Remedy Herbs

Wormwood via botanical.com

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

Parasitic diseases are often Scorpio imbalances and Wormwood is a powerful anti-parasitic herbal ally. It is a cleansing herb that should be used with respect and training. The herb is supremely bitter and excellent at expelling worms and parasites from the system. It is also a digestive herb when toxicity has built up in the gut and led to inflammatory diseases of the gut where infection is present. The herb can also be used when lack of appetite has become chronic, digestion is consistently poor, and there are signs of nervous exhaustion (which is why, in part, Wormwood has long been used in cases of anorexia). Wormwood clears persistent fevers, purifies the blood, and can help pull poisons from the body such as lead. The herb can also be used in the treatment of infertility, amenorrhoea, placental retention and after-birth pain. As a Scorpio herb, Wormwood is for when toxicity has built-up over a long period of time and it causing serious complications to a person’s health and wellbeing.

Wormwood also contains thujone which works as a brain stimulant but is also one of the reasons why the herb should be used by a trained herbalist and for a short amount of time in small doses since thujone can be toxic in large amounts. Externally, Wormwood can help treat fleas and lice as well as fungal skin conditions such as athlete’s foot. Use as a compress for bruises and joint pain.

Sun in Scorpio Flower Essence

Holly via wikipedia

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

The flower essence of Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is one that I recommend particularly for those born under a Dark Moon in Scorpio which are folks who are typically deeply embedded in the part of Scorpionic nature that loves what is hidden and mysterious. Holly is, however, an equally important remedy for Scorpio Sun folk, helping them connect to others, warm up their sometimes cold and calculating persona, and help them develop a greater sense of compassion. The essence helps to release feelings of anger and envy towards others, especially when Scorpio folk feel they have been personally wronged and do not know how to move on or resolve the situation. Holly turns the heart towards love, especially when there is distrust, and I recommend that Scorpio folks not only use it internally, but as an external body wash and home spray to help soften their tough exterior. Holly softens the outer shell of Scorpio folk and helps to let the love in.

Ready to learn more?

• Check out the rest of my Astroherbology series including Starry-Hearted + Wild-Rooted: An Introduction to Astroherbology which includes additional study resources and the other posts in my Astroherbology series.

• Need a visual guide? Starmaps: The Astrological Body is for you!

• The Lunar Apothecary is a full length course using the tools of moon-centered herbalism and ritual to help you discover who you are as a healer.