It can be used fresh as well as dry (only the flowers, stems and roots are used). The flowers and leaves are rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium,potassium, salicylates andsodium which help strengthen the immune system. Also, the herb contains saponoids which bring about expectorant and emetic effects. The root and stem contain saccharum, amidine and tanoids and is also a natural diuretic, soothing sedative.
Medicinal Uses:
Common Cold: Helps relax bronchial passages, thins mucous secretions to promote expectoration and lower fevers. Drink 3 cups a day.
Gout: It has a diuretic action that helps eliminate uric-acid buildup. Drink 4-5 cups daily.
Headaches and Migraine: Because of the analgesic properties, it can provide quick relief for tension headaches. It is not a quick relief for migraines, but extended use can ease migraines. Drink 2-3 cups daily.
Joint Pain: It is effective for chronic and painful symptoms caused by arthritis and rheumatism due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Drink 4-5 cups daily.
Tea Mixtures:
For Coughs
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Cowslip root
1 oz. marsh-mallow flowers
1/4 oz. aniseed
1/4 oz. fennel seed
Simmer Cowslip in 1 qt. of water for 10 minutes. Add other herbs and steep for 10 minutes, strain. (Aids in mucus expectoration and reduces cough)
For Insomnia
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Cowslip root
1 oz. hops
3/4 oz. lemon-balm leaves
1/3 oz. St. John’s Wort
Simmer Cowslip in 1 qt. of water for 10 minutes. Add other herbs and steep for 10 minutes, strain. (Calms nervous system and promotes sleep. Reduces anxiety, tension and depression)
For Gout and Joint Pain
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Cowslip root
3/4 oz. nettles
3/4 oz. birch leaves
3/4 oz. meadowsweet
Simmer Cowslip in 1 qt. of water for 10 minutes. Add other herbs and steep for 10 minutes, strain. (Promotes the excretion of uric acid from tissue and relieves pain and swelling in joints)
Warning: Do not use if you are pregnant, allergic to aspirin or taking anticoagulants.
Folklore and History:
The Celts valued Cowslip as a cure for winter depression.
Medieval herbalist Hildegard von Bingen, recommended it for palsy stroke and hallucinations.
It has been harvested to extinction in some regions, but can be substituted with it’s close relative Primula Vulgaris or Primrose.
References:
The Complete Guide To Natural Healing
Note: Consult with a Physician or certified herbologist if you are seeking medical remedies. The information is not intended as medical advice. PagansWorld.org is not liable for the misuse of the herb listed above.
Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all and have a great day!
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you enjoy today’s recipe.
Penne with Spicy Sauce
Ingredients:
1 package penne pasta
1 can (28 ounces) Italian-style tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan
Preparation:
Cook and drain pasta as directed.
While pasta is cooking, place tomatoes with juice in food processor or blender. Cover until coarsely chopped and set aside.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook red pepper, garlic and parsley in oil, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently until garlic begins to turn golden. Stir in chopped tomatoes and paste. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally until slightly thick.
Add pasta and 1/4 cup of the cheese to tomato mixture. Cook about 3 minutes, tossing gently until pasta is coated. sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all and have a great weekend!
I’m not sure how much I’m going to be around the next few days, as I’m starting my IVIG treatments tomorrow. It’s supposed to start Monday morning. (3 days/3-4 hours per day) Depending on how it affects me will determine site updates. After my latest relapse, this should put me back on track. I’m looking forward to having my strength back.
I’ve been cleaning like a mad person today. Having 2 dogs, I want to make sure the house is spotless. Between their dust and hair, I’m not looking to get an infection. No more hospitals PLEASE! At least it’s an in home treatment. If all goes well, (meaning no weird side affects) I’m going to enjoy 3 fun filled days of knitting.
I will post if possible. we’ll have to see how I react to the meds. Last time I had it, I was in the hospital and happily medicated, not real sure what it’s going to do to me without my friend morphine.
Here’s to getting better and moving forward!
That’s all for now
Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all and have a great day!
The convention’s dates are Feb 18-21 and will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel. As usual for PantheaCon, they will be taking up the entirety of the hotel’s function space.
The theme for this year’s gathering is “Walking the Talk.” People who submitted presentations for the event were encouraged to focus on the meaning of that phrase for pagans in modern times. Read full story from examiner.com
Malawi’s jailed witches get a lease of life
A human rights group in Malawi is causing a stir as it embarks on a mission to gather 10,000 signatures from locals to force President Bingu wa Mutharika free several jailed witches.Association of Secular Humanism (ASH) says most of the convicts are women jailed for teaching witchcraft to children. Reports say some are doing jail time of up to six years.
“I’m asking you to sign this petition to help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures. I care deeply about this cause, and I hope you will support our efforts,” a senior official of the association, Harold Williams is quoted saying.
The petition reads: “Belief in witchcraft is widely held in Malawi by people of all levels of education and stature in society. Whereas the law does not accept the reality of witchcraft, the Police and judicial authorities, many of whom share the belief, distort the law to punish those who are accused of witchcraft”
“It is mainly the elderly, men and women, who are accused of witchcraft and there are many very elderly and infirm imprisoned throughout Malawi – sentenced for up to 6 years without anything that would pass as substantive evidence in courts which do not accept superstition and suspicion as adequate.”
“The Association of Secular Humanism in Malawi has made several attempts to persuade the authorities to release these unfortunates and has visited many in our prisons. We need your help!” Read full story from afrik-news.com
Witchcraft Legal Aid in Africa
NEW YORK — Accusations of witchcraft in Africa have gained increasing attention because of the severe impact they can have on the lives of those accused, including imprisonment, deprivation of property, banishment from villages and in some cases physical violence.The human-rights law program I direct recently partnered with an N.G.O. in Malawi to run a mobile legal-aid clinic focusing on witchcraft cases in two rural communities.
Men, women and children flocked to our clinic seeking legal assistance. The cases were challenging and engaged the question of how to confront accusations of witchcraft, particularly when children and elderly women disproportionately bear the brunt of such accusations.
The persecution of accused witches has not historically been confined to Africa. Witch-hunts have occurred in Europe, America, ancient Rome, Aztec Mexico, Russia, China and India. But the practice persists in poor settings in part because witchcraft can be used in communities without routine access to modern medicine and science to explain seemingly inexplicable instances of death and misfortune. Read full story from nytimes.com
‘Adventures’ every witch way in Salem
With its witch-hunt past and embrace of all things ethereal, Salem is hallowed ground for anyone interested in the paranormal.
So when the crew from the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” (tonight at 9) wanted to up the ante in season four, they pointed their Electronic Voice Phenomena recorders to the North Shore.
“I actually have been dying to come back to anywhere near my hometown for a couple years now,” “Ghost Adventures” investigator Nick Groff, a former Pelham, N.H., resident said. “Everybody knows about Salem, the witch trials, the movies — everything that’s been done here.” Read full story from bostonherald.com
New York City’s Official Apocalypse Manual Should New York City face a “very grim” situation, the government has the right to “establish curfews, quarantine wide areas, close businesses, restrict public assemblies and, under certain circumstances, suspend local ordinances,” the New York Times explains in a feature this morning about the legal rulebook that governs potentially apocalyptic times. It’s terrifying in theory, but also very boring because it’s written by lawyers. The “New York State Public Health Legal Manual,” a/k/a The Oh My God We’re All Goin’ to Die book, “provides a catalog of potential terrorism nightmares, like smallpox, anthrax or botulism episodes.” But don’t worry, they have a plan. Read full story from villagevoice.com
New Bigfoot sighting near Pittsburgh It was early Tuesday morning February 8th 2011, Sam was just exiting route 60 at about 7:45AM and about to turn into the PA turnpike when something odd caught his attention.The intersection was in the middle of a rolling landscape with hills on every side. The tenacious winter weather of the season had coated the hills with much snow, and every hill was glistening white in the early morning sun. But to his left a large dark brown figure stood out in stark contrast to the colorless background. It was a massive dark brown humanoid figure, trudging its way effortlessly through the deep snow that covered the hillside to his left. Sam was shocked and amazed. The figure was familiar to him, he had seen it so many times before on documentaries and cable television specials. He was watching a Bigfoot creature first hand from about 100 yards away. Read full story from examiner.com
Capture of wanted killer sheds light on life in polygamist cult THE revelation that one of Australia’s most wanted killers took sanctuary in an obscure polygamist cult in the Cairns hinterland has finally lifted the veil on the secretive sect, which former followers say has thrived for more than 30 years.
Headed by millionaire property owner Daniel Landy-Ariel, the Jesus People preach an orthodox Christian lifestyle in which adherents speak ancient Aramaic and some forms of violence against women and children are allegedly encouraged.
Guided by their spiritual father, the cult’s 150 followers are crammed into urban properties in Sydney and Cairns, as well as three massive kibbutzes in remote areas of Queensland and NSW.
Police are now investigating the extent to which cult members may have sheltered convicted murderer Luke Andrew Hunter, 42, and whether or not they helped him obtain work with Queensland Health. Read full story from theaustralian.com
Cast Your Love Spell with a Love Potion
A love spell has been described as a positive love-thought that you send out to the universe as an affirmation in the way of an incantation, or simply in the form of a prayer, and then you visualize with intense feeling what you desire to attract to your life.
Put these ingredients of manifestation together with the power of a ritual and you have a love spell that is simply spell-binding! During my years of studying metaphysics I am honored to have close friends and soul sisters from my home land in Australia, Deborah Gray and my late friend Athena Starwoman, both self-confessed and practicing white witches who lived in a coven and follow a spiritual way of life.
Having kept such company, over the years a little of their white magic rubbed off, and for this Valentine’s Day, I have created a concoction suitable for your star sign so you can cast your very own love spell. Read full story from nydailynews.com
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two – 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.
Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 – 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight). (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)
Frosting
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.
Assemble: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut.
July of 2010 I was hospitalized and diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. My immune system attacked my peripheral nervous system causing paralysis. It was devastating, I went form being totally independent to having to ask help for everything, from tying my shoes to taking a shower. I was like a child learning to walk. After months of physical therapy, I was well on my way to recovery.
Suddenly things took a turn for the worse. Last week I started feeling under the weather, I was getting weaker day by day. Finally it happened. I woke up Sunday thinking oh no, here we go again. Blurry vision and high blood pressure set in and I knew what was next. I couldn’t walk. I was taken to the hospital for a round of tests, nothing odd came up. It was a set back, I was so disappointed after all the progress I made and how far I had come. Now it’s back in for an IVIG treatment. Unfortunately with GBS there’s no rhyme or reason to it. The Doctor told me, there may be set backs on the road to recovery. (hopefully not too many)
Thankfully this morning I woke up feeling a bit better. Unfortunately I’m back to walking with a cane, but at least I’m walking. It’s been a little over a month since I needed it, It felt so good the first day I left the house without it. I was feeling so much stronger. I don’t know, maybe I started pushing myself too hard. I can be such a knucklehead, I think I’m indestructible. I guess this was the kick in the ass to remind me I’m not.
I’m a FIGHTER and WILL get through this.
A man may fall many times in life, but is only a failure when he refuses to get up – Evil Knievel
Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all and have a great day!
How to convert witches to Catholicism
Witches can and should be converted to Catholicism, according to a robust new booklet from the Catholic Truth Society that portrays spell-casting as spiritually empty, exhausting and immoral. Instead of “seeking to change God’s mind or violently alter his plans through circle-casting”, it says, Wiccans should be encouraged to surrender this often frightening burden and accept the love of Christ.
In other words, come to Mass, leaving your broomstick at the door.
Actually, I should make it clear that Wicca & Witchcraft: Understanding the dangers by Elizabeth Dodd doesn’t make any silly cracks about broomsticks. But I can’t resist. There’s no eco-bore like a Wiccan eco-bore. I’ve met a few and, believe me, you need to be under a spell to sit through a three-hour whinge about Mother Gaia from a practitioner of white magick. It makes one long for the days when witches restricted themselves to a quick cackle before riding off into the night. (Just kidding, witches and pagans! Seriously, last time I had a go at them they reported me to the Press Complaints Commission, which proved resistant to their magick.) Read full story from telegraph.co.uk
Pagan Spirit Gathering Moves to Illinois Pagan Spirit Gathering, one of America’s oldest and largest outdoor Pagan festivals, has announced that it has moved its base of operations from Missouri to Illinois. This is the festival’s second move since cutting ties in 2009 with Wisteria (and Ohio-based Pagan-friendly campground). Read full story from wildhunt.org
The 37-year-old outdoors photographer from River Ridge thought he had found one off winding, tree-lined McManus Road. But before he crossed the woods and got to the water, he stumbled across an open and empty casket that might have been unearthed from a nearby graveyard that was flooded during Hurricane Katrina.
Owens, struck by the mystery of whom it belonged to, called a local television news reporter. The reporter notified authorities and aired a story about the discovery during the weekend, launching an effort to find the deceased person’s relatives and properly recover the coffin.
But on Monday, coroner’s office investigators determined that the woman who once rested in the casket is indeed properly buried. Though Hurricane Katrina’s flooding unearthed the coffin years ago, authorities subsequently managed to recover the remains and bury them again; the funeral box, however, was apparently discarded nearby and forgotten. Read full story from nola.com
The stuff of folklore
THE Rabbit or Hare is an emblem of longevity and is regarded as a symbol of fertility or innocence (a prey animal). The fourth animal sign in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac, the Rabbit has built a legend that revolves around the Moon.
In Chinese astrology, the year 2011 is said to be the Year of the Rabbit.
According to Chinese folklore, the white Hare with its gleaming fur is a divine creature that has lived 1,000 years. Its coat was blue if it lived only 500 years, according to author Ruth Q. Sun in The Asian Animal Zodiac.
Legend has it that during the Chou Dynasty, white hares once frisked on the streets of Ch’ang-an, the capital city. Thereafter, it became customary that whenever a white hare was found, it would be caught and delivered to the emperor. Read full story from thestar.com
Vikings considered Stone Age objects ‘to have magical qualities’ Oslo, Feb 3 (ANI): Vikings considered Stone Age objects to have magical qualities, and such ‘antiques’ were more important in Viking culture than previously understood, according to new archaeological findings.
Excavation of around 10 Viking graves in Rogaland, southwest Norway, had uncovered Stone Age items, such as weapons, amulets and tools.
Olle Hemdorff of Archaelogical Museum in Stavanger told Aftenposten newspaper that he believes these items were buried so that ‘they would protect and bring luck to the dead in the after-life’. Read full story from yahoo.com
Chilean miner sheds light on underground religious life
One of the rescued Chilean miners shed new light Thursday on the intense religious and spiritual experiences of many of the miners while trapped underground for 52 days last year, saying that faith was a key part of surviving t he ordeal.
“We realized we had only one alternative and that was God himself,” said Jose Henriquez in an address to the National Prayer Breakfast on in Washington, speaking to a crowd that included President Barack Obama.
“We were different creeds and churches,” Henriquez said, speaking in Spanish with simultaneous translation. “So I got them in a circle and made sure everyone could pray in a participatory fashion. And as we prayed we began to know the presence and blessing among us of God in the mine. We were strengthened, our spirits were revived.” Read full story from cnn.com
Download: Cult Of Youth’s Unnerving Goth-Folk Terror “New West”
Lean toward the folksy and brooding? Not afraid of the dark? Chances are you’ll bump into Cult of Youth frontman Sean Ragon in 2011, as his New Year’s resolutions seem to make him the busiest man in the Brooklyn indie underground. After quitting his house-painting job and vowing to go “all in,” Ragon has become a black-clad mogul-in-training. There’s his vintage record store, Heaven Street, located in the back of Greenpoint’s Fox & Fawn: “As far as used vinyl goes, it’s highly edited, so no endless rows of Molly Hatchet records.” There’s his record label, Blind Prophet: “I’m up to the fifth release now — the amazing debut LP from the Argentinean duo Mueran Humanos, out Valentine’s Day.” And of course, there’s his own band, Cult of Youth, which has evolved from a bedroom project into a fleshed-out goth-folk-punk terror. Mixing the unnerving shanties of The Wicker Man with the post-apocalyptic strum of Current 93 or Angels of Light, Cult of Youth is definitely walking in the shadows, even if their jaunty, fiery grooves remind us more of Wall of Voodoo, Adam Ant, and Big Country. The Morricone-core of “New West” is the first track off their self-titled debut (due February 22 on Sacred Bones), a rollicking dust-sucker that teams a Gun Club-style twang-punk screed with soaring strings and post-industrial ‘tude. Read full story from villagevoice.com
TRENDING: Obama delivers major speech on personal faith
President Barack Obama gave an unusually personal speech about his religious faith on Thursday, saying that “it is the biblical injunction to serve the least of these that keeps me going and keeps me from being overwhelmed,” in address to a prayer breakfast in Washington.
The speech, delivered at the National Prayer Breakfast, comes on the heels of public opinion surveys that show only a minority of Americans know that Obama is a Christian and that a growing number believe he’s a Muslim. Read full story from cnn.com
There is a statue of the Virgin Mary that appears to be crying tears inside a Reading shop.
In the back of the small shop is a statue of Mother Mary. It looks like she is weeping and there are two teardrops on her face.
The statue of Mother Mary crying inside Our Lady Queen of Reading religious lending library is bringing tears to some visitors’ eyes. Read full story from wcpo.com
“I’d sit with the men, the women of God, There by the lake of beer, We’d be drinking good health forever, And every drop would be a prayer.” – Saint Brigid’s Prayer
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion in the butter until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add chile peppers, curry powder, turmeric and garlic and mix well. Cook, sitting frequently for 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and tomato puree; cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Remove chile peppers with tongs; discard.
Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute beef in hot oil until cooked through, about 4 minutes.
Add beef to tomato mixture and mix well; cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Combine pasta and beef mixture in a large serving bowl and toss lightly to mix. Serve immediately.
Recently I was shaken loose from my dad’s family tree and treated unfairly by people I called relatives. This got me thinking of the true meaning of the word “family”.
In the beginning I was raised by my mom’s side, since my dad skipped out on us when I was a fetus. As a child, teenager and young adult I never knew him or his family. It didn’t really matter, I had a loving mom, uncle and grandparents that did everything for me. Fast Forward 21 years. I was mad at my mom and decided I wanted to get in touch with my dad. He flew out to California immediately and we hit it off right away. He was engaged to a woman in Miami and they were getting ready to have a son. I kept in touch with him through the years and enjoyed the time we had. It wasn’t until my 30′s that I got in touch with the rest of his family and honestly, I’ve never felt comfortable around them, or thought they even liked me. A few years later my father passed away and we all flew to Miami for his service. It seemed as if his death brought us closer together, for a while anyways.
Recently I got a call from my dad’s sister, she told me that their father had passed away. I was sad of course and really wanted to be at the service where I could mourn with my family. At the time the plans for the funeral were not final, but she assured me that she would get back to me with the information. Sometime between the conversation with my aunt, and the funeral (the date of which I found on Google), my cousin, who’s Wiccan, referenced TheWiccan Redein a Facebook post. Here’s a summary of what she said: “What goes around comes around, stop pretending to care about my family”…blah…blah…blah. Along with a few others, I asked her what was wrong and while the other well wishers got responses, I was getting the silent treatment. I tried to call every member of my dad’s family and not a single answer for days. Armed with my grandfather’s funeral announcement from Google, I went, paid my respects and kept my distance. To say that I felt uncomfortable and unwelcome would be an understatement, but I made it through. By the time I got home I found my cousin had deleted me as a friend and blocked me from sending her messages. Today I still don’t know what the hell happened or what I did wrong. All I can think is, how do you treat family like this?
My cousin is right about one thing, what goes around comes around. Karma really is a Bitch.
My question is: Who do you consider family?
In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re blood related. Family can be anyone from blood relatives to an old high school buddy or someone you may have met online; what makes them family is unconditional love.
Thanks for listening to my rant! Well wishes to you all and have a great day!
