{"id":18390,"date":"2018-09-01T01:10:48","date_gmt":"2018-09-01T06:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=18964"},"modified":"2018-08-31T14:44:13","modified_gmt":"2018-08-31T19:44:13","slug":"notes-from-the-apothecary-43","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2018\/09\/01\/notes-from-the-apothecary-43\/","title":{"rendered":"Notes from the Apothecary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Notes from the Apothecary: Calendula<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Calendula or marigold? Last month<\/a> we explored the magic and mystical beauty of the true marigold and I mentioned in that article that marigolds are often confused with calendula. Botanically they are actually very different. Calendula are often called pot marigolds or common marigolds, but true marigolds are in the genus <\/span><\/span>tagetes <\/i><\/span><\/span>although both <\/span><\/span>tagetes <\/i><\/span><\/span>and <\/span><\/span>calendula <\/i><\/span><\/span>are in the <\/span><\/span>Asteraceae <\/i><\/span><\/span>family, along with sunflowers. <\/span><\/span>Tagetes<\/i><\/span><\/span> are native to North America, whereas calendula came to America from the Mediterranean. They have beautiful orange or yellow blooms, with an extremely long flowering season. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Kitchen Garden<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

From Mrs Grieve\u2019s Modern Herbal:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It was well known to the old herbalists as a garden-flower and for use in cookery and medicine. Dodoens-Lyte (A Niewe Herball, 1578) says:<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

‘It hath pleasant, bright and shining yellow flowers, the which do close at the setting downe of the sunne, and do spread and open againe at the sunne rising.’<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She refers to calendula as the common marigold, and notes that it is easy to grow as long as the position is slightly sunny and the ground kept free of weeds. Calendula self-seed, and can spread quite easily although they are annuals so the new foliage replaces last year\u2019s plants, rather than joining them. The seeds are curly little horns, perfectly beautiful and very decorative in their own way.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Calendula petals can be used as a substitute for saffron, but only for the yellow colour they impart, not the taste. The flowers make a tasty and beautiful garnish for salads and other foods, and can be mixed into butters and cheeses for colour and flavour. Even the peppery leaves can be eaten to add spice to a salad.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Apothecary<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Natural Herbal Living Magazine published a great feature on calendula and its many practical uses. The publisher, Amanda Klenner, notes that she uses the petals in skin lotions, body butters and salves. She also makes marigold tea which soothes irritated mucous membranes and internal tissues. She uses the tea for digestive health, and adds that the petals are used in some cold and flu remedies. She also believes it supports the lymphatic system, crucial for our immune systems.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the same publication, Nina Katz states that the herb is, \u201cAnti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-septic, vulnerary, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulant, immunostimulant, cholagogue, heart tonic, hypotensive, lymphatic, respiratory tonic, emmenagogue, anti-spasmodic, astringent, aperient, diaphoretic\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Many of these terms might be unfamiliar to you if you\u2019re not an herbalist or phytologist. Vulnerary means healing of wounds or inflammation. Cholagogue means to stimulate the gall bladder to produce bile. Emmenagogue means to promote menstrual flow. This means it can be useful for period pain or delayed periods, as it stimulates the uterus. Pregnant women should not<\/b><\/u><\/i> ingest calendula for this reason. Always <\/b><\/u><\/i>check with a medical professional before changing or starting any type of medication.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Witch\u2019s Kitchen<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Many believe that the term marigold comes from an association with the Virgin Mary. However, that supposition is a little backwards. The marigold (calendula) became associated with the Virgin Mary because<\/i> the name sounded a little like Mary\u2019s Gold, however the term \u2018marigold\u2019 was first coined by pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons, when referring to the marsh marigold, a plant related to neither calendula or tagetes<\/i> (true marigolds). <\/i>However, calendula has been used to honour Mary for so long that, if your path leans this way, it still makes a fantastic offering or altar decoration. It\u2019s just good to know the origins and history so you can make your own mind up about what\u2019s appropriate.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cunningham tells us it is a masculine herb, which I presume is because of the plant\u2019s association with the sun, and fire. I find it has a very feminine energy, but plants are complex and it\u2019s often hard to pigeon-hole them. He advises picking calendula at noon in bright sunlight to \u2018strengthen and comfort the heart\u2019. He also states that calendula is used for protecting the home from evil, and scattered under the bed can give you prophetic dreams and ensure a safe night\u2019s sleep. Calendula petals in the pocket will keep justice on your side if you need to attend court. His final and my favourite point about calendula magic is that, if a girl touches calendula petals with her bare feet, she will be able to speak to birds in their own language. How wonderful that would be!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Calendula has historically been used in divination, particularly relating to love and knowing who one\u2019s true love may be. Rachel Patterson recommends the flower for spells or incense blends involved with psychic powers. She also writes that they promote happiness and uplifting energies, and can be used to make gossip about you cease. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Home and Hearth<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As we move from summer into fall, calendula should still be flowering for some time yet. If you are lucky enough to have calendula in your garden, pick a few of the flower heads and separate the petals out. Create a circle of petals on a clean cloth or on your altar, one petal at a time. Have the base of each petal pointing toward the centre of the circle, so the end of the petal points outwards. As you lay each petal, think of something in your life you are happy about, or grateful for. You don\u2019t need to write this down or prepare for it. It should be spontaneous and from the heart. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> The bigger you make your circle, the longer it will take to complete, but you will think about more happy things! If you have been struggling with dark feelings or depression, it may be sensible to start with a small circle. This can prevent you feeling like you \u2018should\u2019 have more to be happy about, which can actually make you feel worse. Sometimes, we may only have a few bright sparks in our lives, and that\u2019s okay. We can still celebrate that, and as we move into the darker months, focusing on the good things we have becomes even more vital and soul supportive.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I Never Knew\u2026<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A snuff of marigold leaves was sniffed up the nose, to encourage sneezing to rid the sinuses of excess mucous. Lovely!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Image credits: Flower of calendula by Wouter Hagens, public domain; Calendula officinalis, Seeds by H. Zell, copyright 2009 via Wikimedia Commons<\/a>; Calendula officinalis – Botanischer Garten Mainz by Natalie Schmalz, copyright 2011, via Wikimedia Commons<\/a>. <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mabh Savage<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0is a Pagan author, poet and musician, as well as a freelance journalist.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She is the author of\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> and\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>Pagan Portals \u2013 Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pagan Portals – Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Notes from the Apothecary: Calendula Calendula or marigold? Last month we explored the magic and mystical beauty of the true marigold and I mentioned in that article that marigolds are often confused with calendula. Botanically they are actually very different. Calendula are often called pot marigolds or common marigolds, but true marigolds are in the genus tagetes although both tagetes and calendula are in the Asteraceae family, along with sunflowers. Tagetes are native to North America, whereas calendula came to America from the Mediterranean. They have beautiful orange or yellow blooms, with an extremely long flowering season. The Kitchen Garden From Mrs Grieve\u2019s Modern Herbal: It was well known to the old herbalists as a garden-flower and for use in cookery and medicine. Dodoens-Lyte (A Niewe Herball, 1578) says: ‘It hath pleasant, bright and shining yellow flowers, the which do close at the setting downe of the sunne, and do spread and open againe at the sunne rising.’ She refers to calendula as the common marigold, and notes that it is easy to grow as long as the position is slightly sunny and the ground kept free of weeds. Calendula self-seed, and can spread quite easily although they are annuals so the new foliage replaces last year\u2019s plants, rather than joining them. The seeds are curly little horns, perfectly beautiful and very decorative in their own way. Calendula petals can be used as a substitute for saffron, but only for the yellow colour they impart, not the taste. The flowers make a tasty and beautiful garnish for salads and other foods, and can be mixed into butters and cheeses for colour and flavour. Even the peppery leaves can be eaten to add spice to a salad. The Apothecary Natural Herbal Living Magazine published a great feature on calendula and its many practical uses. The publisher, Amanda Klenner, notes that she uses the petals in skin lotions, body butters and salves. She also makes marigold tea which soothes irritated mucous membranes and internal tissues. She uses the tea for digestive health, and adds that the petals are used in some cold and flu remedies. She also believes it supports the lymphatic system, crucial for our immune systems. In the same publication, Nina Katz states that the herb is, \u201cAnti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-septic, vulnerary, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulant, immunostimulant, cholagogue, heart tonic, hypotensive, lymphatic, respiratory tonic, emmenagogue, anti-spasmodic, astringent, aperient, diaphoretic\u2026\u201d Many of these terms might be unfamiliar to you if you\u2019re not an herbalist or phytologist. Vulnerary means healing of wounds or inflammation. Cholagogue means to stimulate the gall bladder to produce bile. Emmenagogue means to promote menstrual flow. This means it can be useful for period pain or delayed periods, as it stimulates the uterus. Pregnant women should not ingest calendula for this reason. Always check with a medical professional before changing or starting any type of medication. The Witch\u2019s Kitchen Many believe that the term marigold comes from an association with the Virgin Mary. However, that supposition is a little backwards. The marigold (calendula) became associated with the Virgin Mary because the name sounded a little like Mary\u2019s Gold, however the term \u2018marigold\u2019 was first coined by pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons, when referring to the marsh marigold, a plant related to neither calendula or tagetes (true marigolds). However, calendula has been used to honour Mary for so long that, if your path leans this way, it still makes a fantastic offering or altar decoration. It\u2019s just good to know the origins and history so you can make your own mind up about what\u2019s appropriate. Cunningham tells us it is a masculine herb, which I presume is because of the plant\u2019s association with the sun, and fire. I find it has a very feminine energy, but plants are complex and it\u2019s often hard to pigeon-hole them. He advises picking calendula at noon in bright sunlight to \u2018strengthen and comfort the heart\u2019. He also states that calendula is used for protecting the home from evil, and scattered under the bed can give you prophetic dreams and ensure a safe night\u2019s sleep. Calendula petals in the pocket will keep justice on your side if you need to attend court. His final and my favourite point about calendula magic is that, if a girl touches calendula petals with her bare feet, she will be able to speak to birds in their own language. How wonderful that would be! Calendula has historically been used in divination, particularly relating to love and knowing who one\u2019s true love may be. Rachel Patterson recommends the flower for spells or incense blends involved with psychic powers. She also writes that they promote happiness and uplifting energies, and can be used to make gossip about you cease. Home and Hearth As we move from summer into fall, calendula should still be flowering for some time yet. If you are lucky enough to have calendula in your garden, pick a few of the flower heads and separate the petals out. Create a circle of petals on a clean cloth or on your altar, one petal at a time. Have the base of each petal pointing toward the centre of the circle, so the end of the petal points outwards. As you lay each petal, think of something in your life you are happy about, or grateful for. You don\u2019t need to write this down or prepare for it. It should be spontaneous and from the heart. The bigger you make your circle, the longer it will take to complete, but you will think about more happy things! If you have been struggling with dark feelings or depression, it may be sensible to start with a small circle. This can prevent you feeling like you \u2018should\u2019 have more to be happy about, which can actually make you feel worse. Sometimes, we may only have a few bright sparks in our lives, and that\u2019s okay. We can still celebrate that, and as we move into the darker months, focusing on the good things we have becomes even more vital and soul supportive. I Never Knew\u2026 A snuff of marigold leaves was sniffed up the nose, to encourage sneezing to rid the sinuses of excess mucous. Lovely! Image credits: Flower of calendula by Wouter Hagens, public domain; Calendula officinalis, Seeds by H. Zell, copyright 2009 via Wikimedia Commons; Calendula officinalis – Botanischer Garten Mainz by Natalie Schmalz, copyright 2011, via Wikimedia Commons. *** About the Author: Mabh Savage\u00a0is a Pagan author, poet and musician, as well as a freelance journalist. She is the author of\u00a0A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors and\u00a0Pagan Portals \u2013 Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways. A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors   Pagan Portals – Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":206,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/206"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18390\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}