It’s not just one garden ie the one I planned. There is another kind of garden around me…the one that comes of its own accord, the Wilds Garden, perhaps seeded by the Faeries who take delight in surprising us or bringing us and the land things we didn’t know we needed.
My Wilds Garden has plants that are not usually found in polite garden centers for “landscaping” and perfectly weedless lawns. They ARE weeds, but weeds who bring special healing for body and for spirit. Weeds like poke, St. Johnswort, milkweed, blackberry brambles, mugwort, plantain and today’s subject…TEASEL.
This year, quite out of nowhere and suddenly, the Teasel Twins appeared on my lawn near the side un-mowed meadow.
Tall and stringy, they have been growing into maturity day by day, but not softening one bit in their sharp and spiny personalities, looking like some fierce ancient dragon plant. And in truth, their prickly “dragon” power may be wondrous medicine for some really challenging medical conditions. For me, I believe they appeared as Guardian Spirit Plants since I had been very concerned about ticks hindering my peace of mind in the garden having had Lyme Disease twice over the years. I had been fretting about that as I decided to once again grow and tend vegetables, herbs and flowers after three years of not being able to do so.
In colonial pre-technological days, teasel earned its common name as the prickly flower heads that were used to “tease” the nap up in cotton fabric. This commercial use was, in its time, useful although labor intensive. But teasel has a more healing mission most recently as an emergent protocol for several “modern” diseases afflicting thousands: Lyme Disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue. arthritis, and lupus. Two renowned herbalists whom I have had the opportunity to learn from at the Inernational Herbal Symposiums, Matthew Wood and Stephen Harrod Buhner, work experimentally and successfully with feisty Teasel in the management and healing of these often debilitating diseases.
For more helpful and inspiring information on this green ally that is making inroads in treatment for these contemporary illnesses, check out Matthew Woods’ excellent book “The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicine” which has a long in-depth section on Teasel and Lyme Disease.
For a wonderful all-round herbal guide check out also a delightful book that I found at the bargain table at Barnes and Noble but is a true gem: “Backyard Medicine: Harvest and Make Your Own Herbal Remedies” by accomplished herbalists.Julie and Mathew Seal. It also has some very important information and instruction on the growing and preparation of Teasel and all manner of herbs for healing purposes.
The pictures here show Teasel in its “green” and growing phase. But there is a BIG surprise coming as the prickly heads enlarge and mature…and for that…another post on Teasel will soon follow.
Truly, I am mesmerized by and LOVE this plant, this weed. It is the prickly part of my Soul that needs to soothe, heal or cast out the “demons” that can cause me pain in self-doubt and fear, or the ache-iness of longing and memories that need to be released in order to move on to new beginnings.
Thank you, Faeries, who sneaked in overnight and brought the Teasel Twins to my Garden, my Soul this year.
From Christine, the Greening Spirit
Also!
http://wordmagicandthelawofattraction.wordpress.com
http://sensuoussoupsandsuppers
http://pianomistress.wordpress.com
The power of words, sensuous cooking and eating, and music/the arts in the blogs above contribute to a Greening Spirit life!
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