The Herbal Tarot

A Review of The Herbal Tarot and The Spirit of Herbs by Michael Tierra with artwork by Candis Cantin.

“What Does This Card Look Like It Means?”

Michael walks ahead of us through the thicket at a fast clip, the only one keeping pace is my 10 year old son Caleb. At every turn of the forest path Michael encounters another “friend” and says “Thank you” as he plucks a leaf. He turns to Caleb and says “What does this taste like”, mind you that this is my child who is “allergic to green food”, Caleb takes it and gobbles it up. Caleb has complete trust in Michael and is so consumed with this game that he doesn’t stop to note that he is eating “green” things. Michael turns to his students, the last group that he himself would personally teach his entire Planetary Herbology course to, and proclaims “What does this herb look like it does?”. We are learning the ancient art of “simpling”, the ability to determine the likely use of an herb by it’s look and where it chooses to grow. He would place the herb in our hands and ask us “What does this feel like?”. We are constantly challenged to understand the “spiritual properties” of the energy of each herb. We are asked to meditate on the herbs.

To start with the cards themselves, painted by Candace Caitlin, are beautiful representations of the world of herbs. The back of the cards have a beautiful border of rosemary, for protection and purification, with some cute little lady bugs standing guard to make sure that the rosemary remain untainted by aphids! The lady bug may be small but in the plant world she is a powerful protector. I like that Michael states “She (ladybug) will watch over you to see to it that the seeds planted in the readings are allowed to reach their full maturation”. The four mandalas on the back represents Michael’s amazing ability to bring his understanding of the planets cultures to us. To him they represent the seasons, elements and stages of our life.

The Major Arcana cards have all the images from traditional tarot decks. The names remain the same for each card except that the Devil is now Pan, the Wheel of Fortune becomes the Medicine Wheel, and the Hanged Man becomes the Suspended Person. I am assuming that these differences are an homage to Michael’s shamanic training. Just as with all the Minor Arcana the Majors each have an herb associated with them. The herbs chosen for the Majors though are all considered “Chi” herbs, or the enhancers of life’s energy represented in the human body . They are there for  us to facilitate, and integrate, the energies represented by the traditional meanings of  each of the cards.

The herbs for each of the Minor Arcana have been chosen to match the element associated with each suit. Swords represents air, as usual, so the herbs chosen are those that support the nervous system/mind/lungs. The Fire element, suit of wands, includes herbs which support/control blood and harness/release energy. The Suit of Cups, the water element, display herbs that heal the urinary and reproductive systems of the body. The Earth element, Suit of Pentacles, herbs all focus on the “process of nourishment, digestion, assimilation, and elimination.”

Michael’s book “The Spirit of Herbs: A Guide to the Herbal Tarot” does give us the general meaning of each card but goes further then most books when, similar to a hike into the forest with Michael, he asks us to ponder the herbs spiritual and medicinal properties, both of which give such a greater meaning to my readings. Like an herbal manual Michael cannot resist but give us his instructions on how to prepare and dose the herb in question along with it’s medicinal properties. I sometimes find this information a great addition to the application of the meaning of the reading for the individual. Not in the form of “medical advise” but for spiritual healing. He also provides us with key words for each card and the herb on the cards “herbal allies” (herbs which assist the herb in question). It is good to note these allies as they can provide further /deeper meaning to the querent’s concerns or the actions that they may wish to take to manifest the energy of the card/reading. There are affirmations listed for each card which beautifully match the cards. All this makes it a wonderful book for the Tarot enthusiast who wishes to learn about herbs.

There are several wonderful spreads suggested in the book by his wonderful wife Lesley. They include the “Medicine Wheel”, the “Inner Teacher’s Moon”, the “Conscious Moon”, “Time Line Moon”, “Overview Moon”, “Medicine Wheel Sun Spread”. There are also bonus meditation techniques for using the cards/herbs. He also explains their use as talismans.

This is really the book from which I launched my Tarot studies. Just like a walk with Michael in a lush garden I was encouraged to use  a combination of knowledge, intuition, and spirit to determine the meanings which the cards held for for my querent, in order to bring about the healing of mind, body, and spirit. I will end here with my beloved teacher Michael’s words:

“...the tarot is a tool not for fortune telling but for taking responsibility for our own lives and creations. Through it’s symbols, inner-knowledge and understanding are revealed and we see how we are children and co-creators of the Divine life force.”

Namaste,

Beth

Fend Shui for the Year of the Metal Rabbit!

Basic Fung Shui/:The Least for the best result in any year!

1. Remove all dried flowers. They extract energy. Silk ones are acceptable. Get dead plants out of your house and yard as well.
2. Get rid of all outdated magazines and newspapers. No you will not reach into that stack of 100 magazines and find that article you have been meaning to read. Through them away and replace them with Google!
3. Dead batteries and light bulbs. Remove, throw away and replace! They are energy drainers too.
4. Oil doors and cabinet hinges so that they don’t squeak. It is an energy disruptor like nails on a chalkboard.
5. Recycle all unused electrical/computer appliances and cell phones. Again a drain on energy of the house.
6. No mirrors, family photos, or excess electrical appliances in the bedroom. No your bedroom is not for your computer. If you do have a T.V. cover it at night with a plastic table cloth and keep your cell phone at least 3 feet from your body. There should only be two things happening in the bedroom! It is also not the place for flowers and plants.
7. Clear out old food from the pantry and your refrigerator/freezer.
8. Wash your crystals in salt water.
9. Collect the loose change from around the house. Tell the kids it’s a movie night if they can collect the change up! Clears up money energy.
10. Throw out all out-dated medicines, vitamins, make-up...Although make-up doesn’t have an expiration date on it after a year it is pretty much a petri dish!  
11. Don’t place your alter in front of a door, stairs, or outside. This can cause the energy of your work to dissipate. You can re-charge crystals outside under the moon though.

     12. Detach from those trinkets that your ex-lover gave you. If you can’t bear to part with them at least box them up and                store them in a basement. This creates an open space for new relationships or makes more space for “love” in your new relationship.

     13. Brooms and mops are for the broom closet or at least out of sight.

     14. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit or are worn out. If they haven’t fit in two years they probably won’t fit next year.     Embrace yourself by getting rid of negative reminders!

Every New Year the Chinese check which energies (called “Stars”) are entering the different directions (N,S,E,W). Some are positive, bringing abundance and good fortune while others are considered Negative or “Killing” and should be guarded against.

  North Sector: #3 Hostile/Argumentative Star Enters- Add items and colors associated with the fire element here and avoid a strong water elements (black and blue) here. 

  N.W. sector- #8 Wealth Star -fire colors and amethyst and rose quartz crystals (good place to store financial papers)

  N.E. sector- #1 White Star/success-Add metal (black, charcoal grey, white) colors. Avoid fire colors (red, purple, pink, orange). Avoid triangles. A good place for your vision board!

  South Sector: Illness Star #2- Metal balances this energy. Avoid fire colors. A good spot for your “salt cure”. 

  S.W. sector- Romance Star #4-No fire or metal colors here. Water colors, blue and black are good. Green plants and fresh flowers are good as well. Images of romance go here this year.

   S.E. sector- Heavenly Star #6 (cosmic energies)-Blue and black are good here as are quartz crystals, especially rose quartz. To still this energy a bowel of pure water can be placed here.

   East Sector:Misfortune Star #5- Keep this area quiet! No renovations or remodels here this year. Metal Feng Shui cures are good. Metal chimes are excellent. Metal colors (silver, grey, white) here. Also a good area for a salt cure.

   West Sector:Future Prosperity #9 Star- Add Fire element here. No black, blue, or water elements/features. Fresh flowers, candles and happy images.

   Center: Violent Star #7-Blue and clear crystals! Water and Metal colors and elements go here. A blue crystal or 3 bamboo sticks in a glass jar are good “cures” for this area. The Taoists will place a blue elephant or rhino here to combat this negative energy.

Fire Element: Activated by candles, the colors red, purple, pink, and orange. Diminished by Water colors and symbols. Earth drains Fire as well. The shape of Fire is pointed.

Water Element: Activated by the colors blue and black. Diminished by Fire, Wood, and Earth. The shape of Water is wavy.

Metal element: Activated by the colors grey, silver, and white. Diminished by Fire and Water, supported by Earth. The shape of metal is round.

Earth Element: Activated by shades of green. Fire supports Earth while Metal drains it. The shape of Earth is square.

Wood Element: Activated by yellow and brown. Metal destroys wood and Fire drains wood. The shape of Wood is round.

The Salt Cure: http://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/advice/saltwatercure.htm

Toxic Wonderland! How to reduce your "body burden"

Toxic Wonderland!

For a while now the word “Detox” has become a fad. There are bottles on the pharmacy shelves which promise to remove all the toxic gremlins in ones body. First of all winter is NOT the time to Detox, leave it for spring when the body and climate are agreeable to it. The second issues is that people use these “cures” without removing toxins from their daily life! Winter time is a good time to make the shift away toxins in your life and to prepare yourself for a spring detox. This will make your spring detox just that much more effective!

Although we can’t control the “outside” environments effect on our body, brain, and of course mind we can take charge of our immediate and inner environments. We can reduce the body burden of toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis.

Here are some things you can do to reduce your body's burden.

1. Don’t do Fluoride Internally: Plan and simple this is a neurotoxin and is a by product from the fertilizer industry. The medical journal the Lancet says that it may effect the brain, act as an endocrine disruptor, and actually deminish bone strength. Doctors used to use it for hyperactive thyroids because it slowed metabolism. So whether it is in vitamins or water stay away. (www.fluroidealert.com). Consider a filtering shower-head which will remove chlorine as well.
2. The number 7 can be very unlucky!- Your plastic water, juice, soda bottles may contain Bisphenol A which can leach into your drink. It interferes with hormone functioning and is possibly cancer causing. So check the recycle triangle on the bottom of the bottle and if the numbers 7, 3, or 6 are there stay away. The numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 are less toxic. www.environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/f/bisphenol-a-health-effects.htm 
3. No more High Fructose corn syrup- It has been banned in Europe! We know that it reacts with proteins and makes a plaque on the brain! There is no food value here so stay away! www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/high-fructose-corn-syrup-dangers/ 
4. MSG- Is not just in your Chinese food anymore. It can interfere with your normal endocrine function and appetite regulation. It goes by 60 some odd names (google it) and can even be listed as “natural flavorings” on a product label. www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html
5. Artificial sweeteners: These fake foods break down into formaldehyde and formic acid. Enough said! www.thepeopleschemist.com/view_learning.php?learning_id=14
6. Fat free and low-fat foods- They have to make up for the lack of fat flavor with things artificial. They can even hinder absorption of the nutriants you do need. Stick to unprocessed foods they are typically naturally fat free. www.foodandhealing.com/articles/article-fatfreebad.htm 
7. Perfume and Make-up- American products don’t meet the European standards for safety. Enough said. Check out www.skindeep.com so you can choose wisely. BTW 61% of the lipstick checked contained lead. In her lifetime the average American woman will “consume” four pounds of lipstick!
8. Chuck the Teflon- Change to stainless steel or cast iron. www.naturalnews.com/026678_Teflon_iron_cookware.html 
9. Home cleaning products- Check out making your own natural cleaning products. It is easier than you think and cheaper. http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm.
10. Increase your Omega 3 Fatty Acids- Whether form fish or good capsules this is the best anti-inflammatory. http://www.nordicnaturals.com/
11. Switch your salt to sea salt- It has excellent trace minerals, 60 or more! www.bellaonline.com/articles/art2440.asp 
12. Switch your cooking oil- Use olive oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil. Great for weight loss and your brain! www.brainyweightloss.com/healthy-cooking-oils.html 
13. Shun the carbonated drinks- Americans drink 57 gallons per year! It is nothing but empty calories and can leech your bones of calcium. They have also just discovered that the carmel coloring is a carcinogen!www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-health-effects-of-drinking-soda.htm 
14. Increase your daily fiber- Your doctor was right! Keep them away with an apple a day while reducing your risks for cancer. www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/NU00582 
15. Get rid of Trans-Fats- They increase inflammation and can even interrupt normal brain function. www.transfatfree.com/pages/danger_trans_fat.htm 
16. Get thee to a dentist- Those bacteria in your gums have an icky bio-film which needs a professional cleaning twice a year. Those bacteria can go straight to the heart! Also investing in a Soni-Care toothbrush.www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/heart-disease-oral-health 
17. Your detox preparation diet should contain foods which contain glutathione. Glutathione is a wonderful anti-oxident (anti-cancer) and stimulates the gall bladder and liver. So eat plenty of whole grain brown rice, brocolli, avacado, spinich, garlic, almonds, rare meat, raw eggs, asparagus, squash, cauliflower, walnuts, carrots, cabbage, kale, black beans, black rice, and black sesame seeds. Some supplements which are good to take are N-Acytl cysteine, selenium, vit. C, CoQ-10, Resveratrol, and sublingual B12.
18. If you can’t buy everything organic at least buy the items on this list from the organic section. They are considered to hold the most pesticide ridden products. If you eat five servings of non-organic fruits and veggies you are exposed to 10 pesticides per day! So go organic when you buy blueberries, potatoes, spinich, nectarines, kale, grapes, broccoli, celery, peaches, apples, bell peppers, cherries, strawberries, papaya and tomatoes. Also go organic on any foods which you consume a lot of. For children this may mean foods like milk, eggs, juice, and bread.
19. Drink a little apple cider vinegar every day. It has amazing qualities! www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/ 
20. Start your pre-spring detox today by choosing five things on the list that are easy for you to do. Add a few more to your life every day as we approach spring and your body will be worth the time and money of the detox!

Good Luck!

Dieting??? Everything Old is New Again! So Why Aren’t I Rich?

Dieting??? Everything Old is New Again! So Why Aren’t I Rich?

I was looking at several pages on dieting by “experts”. All the articles claimed that these were the “best NEW ways” to burn fat, increase metabolism, lose weight... New ((pulling hair out of head))??? Please, just because someone got thousands of dollars to do research to prove something works, which in some cases have worked for thousands of years, DOES NOT MAKE IT NEW!!! Okay so I am a little worked up.

The first “new” dieting concept is to not cut your calories to an extreme. Why? Because your body responds as if it were starving as if it were in the middle of the Kalahari and proceeds to hold onto all it can! So when your friend tells you that they had a piece of lettuce for the entire day and didn’t loose an ounce she isn’t lying. The Chinese have understood this concept for several thousand years! BTW your body needs enough calories so it can burn calories.

Green tea is another great new discovery for weight loss??? The Asians have known that green tea is a metabolic enhancer for thousands of years. They also considered it a longevity drink. So now it is “real” because science can tell us that it contains polyphenols (antioxidant) and catechin (supports fat burning). Just a note that green tea with ginseng which is such a big seller, well they cancel out the benefits of each other! Take that Arizona Green tea! 

Go organic the scientists now tell us. Toxins can build up in the liver (which metabolizes fats for us) and in our thyroid (regulates metabolism). If we don’t choose organic we can actually get a gallon of herbicides and neurotoxic peptides per year. Well thank you science for supporting the concept that our bodies can’t handle toxic overload and that we did not evolve to deal with, which have entered our lives in the past 70 years! Okay John Tesh , and your “facts for life” , you just reported that organic doesn’t matter because we were born with liver and kidneys to clear these toxins. Tell that to the tuna I can’t eat because he has mercury poisoning. Remember John he has a liver and kidneys too!!!

This is true for transfats as well. They tried to sell us on margarine and fat subsitutes during the great “Cholesterol Scare” of the 1980’s (remember when eggs became the devil?).Now they tell us that it actually increases our metabolism to have good fats in our diet. Most cultures in history have used olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, gee (clarified butter), fish oil, or oil from nuts as a staple for cooking. Again, NOT new news. The benefits are not only for weight loss, but for the brain, skin, immune function, and fertility. BTW there are only two correlates to a fat free diet: you are more likely to be killed and more likely to kill yourself (all your nerves and your grey matter rely on good fats in order to function). Besides which that fat free olestra (and the diet pill Alli) makes you “leak” and I don’t mean from your ears, eyes, nose, or mouth!

The Chinese have always said “eat by the rule of five”. This means try to include all five element colors on your plate (fire=red/purple, earth=yellow, water=black/blue, metal=white,silver,grey, and wood=green). Science now tells us that people who eat a wide variety of dark color veggies and fruit live longer and have less risk of cancer. The newest study showed that those people who ate dark berries had fewer incidents of Alzheimer’s disease. Lose weight and prevent illness as a double benefit, but again NOT NEW!!!

Sex. Yes it always seems to come down to sex. Current research shows that those who have a “healthy and happy” sex life also are able to maintain weight loss better then those who do not. Of course this relates to nervous tension and stress eating to be sure. The ancient Taoist medical practitioners would actually prescribe sexual practices in order to keep your weight normal and increase your longevity. NOT new and EXTREMELY obvious! 

The final one which REALLY gets to me is one I have been saying for years...Just stop eating processed foods, simple sugar, and simple carbohydrates and you will watch the fat melt away! Okay so the Chinese didn’t have processed foods to talk about three thousand years ago but check it out, now that McDonalds and other processed foods have entered their country they are dealing with illnesses once “rare” on their continent.

Keep it simple and keep it real when it comes to weight loss. What your body needs is nutrition and mild exercise! Oh yeah, and sex.