HEALTHFUL HERBS TO SEASON YOUR CHART
Jacob Schwartz
Using herbs to heal and flavor food for the sake of health goes back in time as far as astrology. The "father of medicine," pragmatic Hippocrates in ancient Greece 400 years before Christ, was a medical astrologer who successfully applied the Moon's phases in treating illnesses.
Connecting the knowledge of what's below us -- plants and trees, with what's above us -- lunar phases, planets, and zodiac signs, was an important part of healing in pagan times long before monotheistic religions dominated Western thought. Leaders of the Christian Church often destroyed all knowledge about the healing properties of herbs because of their pre-Christian origins.
Paradoxically, the secret growing of herbs and plants using astrology was preserved by some monks and nuns within the walls of their isolated convents and monasteries. It is to these anonymous church men and women that we owe a debt of gratitude in preserving the ancient knowledge. In fact many passages in the Bible describe the importance of plants in healing: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Genesis 1:14, 29; Ezekiel 47:12, Psalm 104:14, and Revelations 22:2.
Herbs once attributed with magic powers are being rediscovered for their healing ability. Herbs are grown for healing as well as enhancing delicious dishes in cooking, and providing delightful fragrances contributing to abundant health and vitality. The growth of aromatherapy is testimony to the growing recognition that combining the essential oils of fragrant leaves and flowers contributes to increased well being.
SIGNS.
Each pair of zodiac signs corresponds to tissues, organs, physiological processes and functions.
ARIES-LIBRA: REGULATIVE. In Aries, the organs includes the medulla oblongata containing nerve centers that regulate the heart and respiration, and the brain regulates all physical and mental activities. Kidneys maintain salt and fluid balance and prevents toxic substances from becoming dangerous.
Aries rules the skull, brain, upper teeth, blood, adrenals (with Libra) -- the body's tools responding to stress, the I AM sign. Libra rules the kidneys which eliminate liquid "wastes," adrenal glands, lumbar and sacral vertebrae of the spine, the inner ear to maintain equilibrium, the WE ARE sign.
ARIES provides an excellent time for destroying harmful growths like weeds, harmful fungi, pests, and cultivating soil. Aries plants are often red in color, rich in iron and stimulating in their effect, with thorns, spines or prickles.
Nettle leaves make a tea used for anemia and blood purification, and an expectorant for clogged lungs, and a diuretic for kidneys, diarrhea, dysentery, piles, and hemorrhoids. Rich in iron, potassium and silicon, nettles combined with comfrey, mullein, or horehound can be used for asthma.
Burdock root, iron rich, is valued for blood purification, treating arthritis, sciatica, and lumbago. It promotes sweating because of a volatile oil eliminated by the sweat glands when taken internally, cooling the body, and relieving fevers and conditions from heat such as boils and canker sores.
Cayenne pepper, a spice to enhance flavor in soups and salads, also stimulates the heart and circulation, and many claim it prevents heart attacks, flu, colds, indigestion, and a lack of virility. An excellent source of bioflavonoids (Vitamin P).
Red clover blossoms, topically applied in salves for treating skin afflictions and unwelcome growths, and as a blood purifier when combined with yellow dock and dandelion root.
Additional Aries herbs include Gotu Kola used as a nerve tonic, excellent for depression, and memory loss, and one of the most widely used herbs in Indian Ayurvedic medicine; Sassafras is a blood purifier excellent for menstrual problems and pains after childbirth; iron rich Yellow Dock treats anemia, and skin infection, excellent as a salve for skin diseases and swelling. Increasingly popular St John's Wort is excellent for depression and insomnia, jaundice, dysentery and diarrhea, with the extracted oil externally applied to burns and bruises.LIBRA Moons produce pulp growth and the herbs balance the kidneys and bladder, increasing urine flow, useful for those with several Libra planets in stressful aspect to Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
Parsley leaves, high in chlorophyll and magnesium, alleviate bladder infections, especially when combined with echinacea and marsh mallow root. The leaves are delicious in salads and juices, the root used for liver and gallbladder ailments.
Corn silk leaves can be made into a tea treating irritated kidney and bladder. Corn silk has been reported to remove gravel from kidneys, bladder, and prostate.
Uva ursi leaves infused as a tea can treat nephritis, cystitis, kidney and bladder stones, best combined with marsh mallow for a mucilaginous quality.
TAURUS-SCORPIO: CONSUMPTIVE, ELIMINATIVE AND PROCREATIVE Taurus rules the mouth, tongue, lower jaw which cleans and prepares food for the digestive system, the thyroid which prepares for genital development, and during puberty the voice changes. Mumps, for example, swells the neck glands but also attacks the reporoductive system.
TAURUS is one of the best signs for root crops, bulbous plants, fragrant herbs and leafy vegetables planted when the Moon is there. These herbs are best for those with stressful aspects between Venus and Mars, Saturn, Neptune or Pluto, either in the natal chart or by transit to natal Venus.
Licorice root contains hormones helpful for the adrenals and glands, inducing the adrenal cortex to produce more cortisone and aldosterone, very helpful treating flu, colds, and lung congestion.
Slippery Elm bark, sold commercially as a powder is helpful for inflamed throats, and treating bronchitis.
Fenugreek tea from ground seeds is excellent for sore throats and mucous in the lungs as well as treating gas, ulcers and diabetes.
GEMINI Moons are best for transplanting, and mowing lawns to retard growth. Gemini herbs strengthen the lungs and respiratory system for those with Sun, Moon, or rising sign in Gemini, or with stressful aspects to natal Mercury.
Coltsfoot is excellent for coughs and bronchitis, especially when blended with horehound and marsh mallow.
Mullein flowers can be used as an antispasmodic, and the oil treats ear infections.
Hyssop leaves tea helps relieve chronic catarrh, reduce fevers and improve digestion.
Lemon balm tea alone or in combination with catnip soothes the nerves of hyperactive children and adults. When combined with spearmint and elder flowers, it relieves cold and flu symptoms.
CANCER Moons yield the most abundant crops. The plants best seeded and harvested here include sage, clover, morning glory, and roses. Cancer herbs have soft, juicy leaves, rich in moisture, aiding the stomach, indigestion, the reproductive system, excellent for those with stressful aspects natally or by transit of Saturn, Mars or Uranus.
Peppermint and spearmint are both soothing to the stomach, with the former relieving gas, nausea, and dysentery. Spearmint is more often used for colds, flu, stomach cramps, spasms and to encourage sweating.
Papaya leaf aids digestion and comforts the stomach and intestines, helpful for cramps and gas, working like an intestinal enzyme.
LEO Moons are best for dealing with weeds, pests, noxious growth, and cultivation. Leo herbs and plants have a radiating shape like the sunflower, strengthen the heart and regulate blood pressure. Those with stressful natal and transiting aspects of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or Pluto to their Sun are best helped with these herbs.
Borage leaves, rich in magnesium, make a tea strengthening the heart, reducing high fevers and calming jittery nerves. Externally applied in salves and liniments, borage treats skin and mucous membranes.
Hawthorn berries can treat extremes of blood pressure, inflamed heart muscles, and treating insomnia.
Motherwort combined with hawthorn berries is an excellent treatment for palpitations of the heart. When combined with squawvine and cramp bark, it relieves the pain and discomfort of menstrual bleeding and cramps.
VIRGO Moons are best for cultivating and transplanting. Virgo herbs are rich in potassium sulfate, the homeopathic cell salt for Virgo, especially helpful for those with Sun, Moon or rising sign in Virgo, and those with Mercury, Mars or Saturn in stress to Uranus, Neptune or Pluto in the natal chart.
Blackberry leaves and root bark can treat diarrhea and intestinal upset, especially when combined with cinnamon powder.
Dill seeds and leaves are excellent for digestion, delicious as a tea combined with fennel and anise seeds.
Fennel powder or oil can relieve gas, stomach acid, colic and cramps, increasing the flow of urine and menstrual blood.
Flax tea made from whole or powdered seeds is excellent for coughs and asthma. The powder can be added to cereals and soups too. Sores, boils, carbuncles and inflammations are helped with a poultice mixed with slippery elm.
SCORPIO Moon is best for irrigation and vine growth. Scorpio herbs balance hormones and regulate menstrual flow, sooth the colon, and aid in regularity and elimination.
Black or blue cohosh has been used for centuries to treat menstrual and childbirth pain. Combined with wild cherry bark, yerba santa, or elecampane, it can aid bronchitis symptoms. Be very careful to follow directions on the label as an overdose can produce nausea and vomiting.
Aloe vera regulates the bowels and has a laxative effect, cleaning the liver and kidneys. The gel used externally quickly treats burns, skin rashes and cuts.
Dong Quai root is a general tonic for menstrual cramps, irregular cycles, and menopause, relieving insomnia, hypertension and cramps, and blood purifier, warming the circulation for both genders.
Ginseng provides energy and rejuvenation to the body, reducing blood sugar levels, reducing blood cholesterol but since it supplies heat it should not be used with fevers.
Additional Scorpio herbs include squawvine, senna, false unicorn, saw palmetto, cascara sagrada, and cramp bark.
SAGITTARIUS Moons are excellent for planting onions and garlic. Herbs are chosen for their presence of silica, and for nutrition, such as dandelion root, and for their assistance to the liver, increasing bile flow, and working with the pancreas to balance metabolism. The following herbs are especially helpful to those with Mars, Jupiter or Sun in Sagittarius with stressful aspects to Saturn, Uranus or Neptune.
Dandelion root and leaf are the strongest detoxifying liver tonics, clearing hepatitis, and cleaning the spleen, pancreas, gallbladder and kidneys. This miracle herb that we often destroy, calling it a weed, treats diabetes and hypoglycemia, and its roasted roots can substitute for coffee.
Horsetail herb is another diuretic used in urinary disorders, rich in silica and selenium. It helps to heal fractured bones, and coagulates blood; however excessive use can irritate kidneys and intestines.
Orange Grape root stimulates bile production, and treats of skin diseases and hepatitis. Because of its stimulation of liver and gallbladder, it can relieve constipation.
CAPRICORN Moons are recommended for hardy plants, capable of enduring wind and obstacles. Herbs ruled by Saturn have few flowers, and may not always have pleasant fragrances, and in the case of hemlock and nightshade can be poisonous. They are high in calcium and useful in treating arthritis, bones, teeth, and skin. These herbs are very useful to those with Sun, Moon or rising sign in Capricorn forming stressful aspects to natal or transiting Saturn Uranus or Neptune. The Saturn/Neptune midpoint is especially important in diagnosing disease.
Comfrey root and leaf is very versatile, inhibiting bleeding and promoting pepsin to aide digestion. The mucilaginous property of the root makes it useful with lung problems, coughs, and intestinal upset. The high calcium and magnesium content makes it helpful with bone fractures, used in salves and poultices.
Sarsaparillas root treats rheumatism, arthritis and gout, the hot tea made from it is a diaphoretic treating fevers. Externally, many use it for skin problems and as an eye wash. It can be used alone, or better combined with yellow dock and sassafras as a blood tonic.
Wintergreen leaves contain rich amounts of salicylic acid (so do willow and birch) essential in relieving arthritis, rheumatic pain, and gas. Rubbed into the body or in a bath or steam can be helpful with muscular pain.
Rue is an antispasmodic herb used to treat hypertension, neuralgia, and nervous problems. As a tincture, it can be used for sedation, rheumatism, poor digestion, and gas. Externally, the herb promotes circulation and helps sciatica.
AQUARIUS Moons are useful for cultivation and destroying unwanted growth and herbs connected with the sign grow in unusual places and may not always look the same. They assist circulation, and relax the nervous system. The herbs are useful for persons with many natal planets in Aquarius and Gemini, and anyone with stressful Mercury or Mars aspects to Uranus.
Chamomile flowers calm restlessness, anxiety, and nervous stomachs. Children generally like the taste in treating indigestion and nervous disorders. Externally applied it relieves muscles and swelling.
Catnip not only relaxes cats but is very helpful for human adults and children as a mild sedative, and many use the tea to treat diarrhea, expelling worms, and relieving gas.
Scullcap is very helpful in treating nervous system ailments, especially for those weaning themselves away from barbiturates and sedatives. Combined with American ginseng, it helps alcoholic withdrawal symptoms.
Other Aquarius herbs useful in treating nervous disorders include lady's slipper, valerian, hops, and passion flower.
PISCES Moons are among the best for planting. Pisces herbs strengthen the immune system, feet, and lymphatic systems, many with an antibacterial effect. These are helpful for those with stressful Neptune transits and those with natally stressful aspects of Mars and Sun with Neptune.
Golden Seal is useful externally and internally in amplifying the healing property of other herbs, especially eyebright for vision, gotu kola for the brain, cascara bark for bowels, and squawvine for the feminine genito-urinary system. Golden Seal alone in water can be a gargle or mouthwash treating pyorrhea and tonsillitis.
Chaparral is a well known natural anti-biotics, treating viral and parasitic infections, and inflammations of the intestines and urinary tract. It contains an anti-tumor substance called NDGA with a powerful anti-oxidant. Bitter, it is usually taken in tincture or mixed with other herbs. Externally applied, chaparral is an antiseptic for wounds, and a hair tonic treating dandruff.
Echinacea root is one of the most widely used roots for treating infections, teeth abscesses, lymph swelling, insect bites, and in breaking up congestion in lungs and sinuses.
Eyebright improves the health of the eyes and liver, and another Pisces herb, mugwort, improves dreams and other psychic states, excellent treating insomnia.
Planting Tips. The most important fact to look for in planting herbs is the phase of the Moon. Just as the Moon affects the rising and fall of ocean tides, so the Moon's gravity relates to all fluids, large or small, including the moisture absorbed into herbal roots, stems and leaves.
Moon Phases. The increasing light of the waxing Moon, from the new Moon to the full Moon, is best for planting above the ground crops, while the decreasing light of the waning Moon, from full Moon to new Moon, is best for crops produced below the earth, such as root crops. But this rule by itself is not enough. You must take into account the sign the Moon is in for the selection of planting and harvesting times.
Growing. If you're going to grow herbs, they do well with poor soil fortified with topsoil and the warm kiss of the Sun's light in a protected or shady spot with full drainage. Too much nitrogen reduces the aromatic oils we want to encourage. Sand, gravel or sifted ashes are excellent on top of poor soil rich in clay, enabling the herbal roots to penetrate deeply and better withstand drought. That environment preserves the essential oils, producing a protective cover over the leaves preventing them from drying out. Very few herbs, such as tarragon and chervil, need partial shade during the hottest part of the day, so plant them under a tall tree. If you don't have access to soil, potted plants in well ventilated places like attics or garages with open windows can be used. If you want crops full of moisture, harvest them when the Moon is full and overhead.
For more specific information, consult a physician familiar with herbs, a licensed herbalist or aroma therapist. Many pharmacists recommend herbs also. The following books can be very helpful: Louise Riotte's Planetary Planting, Marcia Starck's Earth Mother Astrology, the annual Moon Sign Book from Llewellyn, Jethro Kloss' Back to Eden, John Lust's Herb Book and Michael Tierra's Way of Herbs.