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Episode 120: The Magical Properties of Plants pt. 5
437 Plays3 months ago
Welcome back, Witches! In this enchanting episode, we delve into the mystical world of rosemary, cinnamon, and calendula, uncovering their powerful properties for protection, prosperity, and healing. So get in losers, and let’s ride this botanical broomstick through the wonders of these magical plants!
We would be forever thankful if you left our podcast a 5-Star review. If you really loved the show and want more Get in Loser content, check out our Supercast & Buy Me a Coffee links below. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GetinWitches, on TikTok @weredoingwitchcraft, or email us at [email protected]. You can support our show through our links below.
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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch
References:
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024). Cinnamon. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/cinnamon
- Daniel Powers MS (n.d.). 8 Cinnamon Benefits: Dosage & Safety. The Botanical Institute. https://botanicalinstitute.org/cinnamon/#:~:text=Cinnamon%20is%20a%20spice%20with%20a%20long%20history,sugar%20regulation%2C%20heart%20health%2C%20gut%20health%2C%20and%20more.
- Tina Caro (2024). Cinnamon: Folklore, Household & Magickal Properties. Magickal Spot. https://magickalspot.com/cinnamon-magical-properties/
- Bundy, Shelby and Kate Belew. Wild Medicine: An Illustrated Guide to the Magick of Herbs. (2023) Spruce Books.
- Harrison, Karen. The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook. (2020) Weiser Books.
- Anderson, Lorraine. The Witch’s Apothecary. (2023) Rockpool Publishing
- Alexander, Skye. The Kitchen Witch. (2023) Simon & Schuster.
- Beyer, Rebecca. Wild Witchcraft. (2022) Simon Element.
- Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. (2019) Llewellyn Publications.
- The Herbal Academy’s Herbarium subscription:Monographs- Calendula & Rosemary
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Transcript
Introduction to Witchcraft and Plants
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult, but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In Loser We're Doing Witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey. Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we have learned about the craft. So get in witches for the fifth installment of our magical properties series. This time we will be taking a closer look at rosemary, cinnamon, and calendula.
Concert Stories and Experiences
00:00:41
Speaker
Well, happy Sunday. I know. Happy sunny Sunday. Yeah, it looks beautiful. I know, look at that. You can see the sun peeking out through the Rolodans, right? Those are called... Yeah, Rolodans. Rolodans, whatever. Rolodans. Rolodans. Rolodans are the Oklahoma version. and um so So Friday's concert was insane. But also I want to say this, first of all, you know, when you go to a concert in the States and like, you have to be like, aware of your surroundings, and you never know what's going to happen. And there's always like, at least one fight that breaks out or something, like, especially at shows like this, where it's like mosh pits and stuff. I
00:01:32
Speaker
have missed going to concerts in Germany where even the mosh pits are polite. The second can't one person like trips, not even falls, just kind of stumbles, everyone stops and they're like, you good? And then they all go back to it. I have missed just being able to have fun and not have to be so like, where are my exits? What's going on over there? That person looks a little sketchy. It's been so much fun being back here. but I love that concert. First of all, the two opening bands were both like local-ish to us like within like a couple hours and they were amazing. We didn't even realize they were German at first. They were like
00:02:18
Speaker
singing in English, they sounded American without accents. And then like in between one of the songs, the guy started speaking German and Anthony was like, Oh, that's cool. They learned German, like not even thinking about it. And he was like, I'm an idiot. We're laughing so hard. um But they were great. Like the second band sent the guitarist and bassist down into the pit and like people were having like a circle pit around them while they played. It was so cool. And then I signed kills. That was, you know, what I was there for. Yeah. sir not Those pictures you sent. Oh my God. I was like, that man. Yes, daddy. Okay. um I got to watch him murder somebody in every scene. So I love that. Amazing.
00:03:05
Speaker
And we were like, there was probably like five people in front of us, but like, it was all just open standing rooms. So we were pretty much like at the stage, it was insane. But for whatever reason, where we decided to stand was where every single pit broke out. So we were just like in the middle of the mosh pit at all times. And then if it wasn't a fucking mosh pit happening, It was like 900 people crowd surfing, including a woman in a wheelchair. People got this woman in a wheelchair, her whole wheelchair up, and they crowd surfed her to the front of the stage and Spencer sang to her as she like floated in. Oh, that is so cool. Yeah. And they even came out after the show and like gave her a hug and stuff. It was really cute. But
00:03:56
Speaker
that if you ever get a chance to go to an Ice Nine Kills concert, it's a whole production. Every song has like characters that come out on the stage and murders happening. like It's amazing. Amazing. I loved it. i don't know i'm like glad don have time him like I know I was like, Oh my god, you should listen to this band and look at this man. But every song is based off of a horror movie. And so every song, when they perform it, they have like elements of that movie on the stage with them, like actors coming out like dressed as Georgie and it. like Spencer dressed as it. And then they have a person dressed as Georgie in his raincoat with the balloon, and they release the balloons, and he murders her.
00:04:42
Speaker
yeah It was great. Oh, yeah, I love it. Listening I add them to my gym playlist.
Musical and Magical Connections
00:04:50
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like that's a really good whenever you're at the gym, and especially if you're lifting yeah he like screaming music. Yeah, yeah. And yeah, so ah they even played. I don't know if you've heard ah the song first vacation. That's after what is that movie? I just like blanked it. hostel. And so like it's set in like Europe. So yeah the whole like premise of the song is about it being the worst vacation, but it's spelled first like abroad. Like Germany, this one's for you. And they play this song and I had told Anthony on the drive, I was like, if they don't play first vacation at this concert, that's a missed opportunity. okay Yeah, I don't know. if i than of course that one It's really funny.
00:05:40
Speaker
But yeah, okay, well, I'm gonna listen to that song too. But yeah, yeah I love that you had a great time. like that That is really cool that you were so close and you were in all of the action. It's really cool. I was like, never did I think in my late 30s I would be in the middle of mosh pits. But again, German mosh pits are so polite. ah Yeah. there was like this one super tall man that was like standing next to me. And when the first mosh pit broke out, we all just turned and let it happen over here. And I was like behind him and I kind of had my arm up because like, you know, people like fucking jump into you and like push the whole crowd back. So I was just kind of like bracing him so that he didn't like fall into me. And he looked back and he was like, you want to, you want to go? And I was like, no, no, thank you. I'm okay. And he's like, are you sure? Am I in your way? And I was like, no.
00:06:33
Speaker
so yeah I'm literally hiding behind you because you're a wall. but yeah yeah So please just stay right where you're at. Don't move. Please stay. Don't leave me.
00:06:46
Speaker
No, it was great though. i One of the funnest concerts I've been to in a while. so And then, you know, of course I got to see Spencer. so yeah I did not, however, get to have him choke me, stab me, or axe me in a photo op because boo. Yeah. There's always next time though. Because Anthony said we have choking at home so.
00:07:16
Speaker
Oh, Anthony. Lame. Hi, Daddy. Put the law down. Put down his foot. He did. He was like, I'm not paying some other man $180. Yes, to do what I can do better at home. Thank you. No, he said I might not have the skills of Spencer, but...
00:07:43
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, so but it was a good time 10 out of 10 recommend if we have any listeners that like metal music and horror movies and you've never heard of ice nine kills check them out because The two worlds come together and it's magical. Yes. Yeah, they're a really good band very hard We're not talking about metal music and horror films today
Magical Properties of Rosemary
00:08:06
Speaker
or concerts. No What are we talking about? We're not talking about amazing plant properties. And yeah, I'm excited about this this episode because when we were picking the plants that we wanted to discuss, it seemed kind of like we had a very similar theme of these are plants that, you know, sometimes we cover plants that seem a little bit more obscure or like maybe might have worked with, the hour are dangerous yeah, But these are all plants that are often found with the exception, I mean, calendula
00:08:38
Speaker
Yes and no, it just depends. I feel everyone knows what marigolds are and marigolds are in the Calendula family and sometimes Calendulas are called marigolds. So if you know what that is or you have marigolds in your garden, in your garden like They could be calendula, but if not, they're at least a relative of calendula. Yes. And so at least with rosemary and cinnamon, if you are like a witch that's just starting out or still in the closet or whatnot, these are, I mean, normal everyday herbs that you will keep.
00:09:13
Speaker
in your pantry. But as far as calendula, if you are a witch, obviously in your practicing, this is something that I always have on my shelves. And I know that something as an herbalist, you always have on your shelves as well. Always. It is a powerhouse and loved by herbalists. And it's beautiful. So if you have a cute little flower garden or even just a regular garden, put it in there. It even deters some pests. Yeah. Yeah, so I'm excited to get into it. Let's discuss. Let's discuss. All right. So I'm going to be starting us off with Rosemary, which I feel like everyone knows what Rosemary is at least at the very least.
00:09:51
Speaker
So the botanical name is Salvia rosemarinus, and rosemarinus translates to mean mist of the sea. It's also known as elf leaf, compass weed, dew of the sea, guard robe, and censure, libonautus, polar plant, and sea dew. And so rosemary is an herb that, like I said, most people have likely at the very least heard of if they don't use it regularly in their kitchen. And it's an herb that is readily available that is accessible to pretty much everyone. Rosemary has a long history of medicinal use from ancient China to medieval Europe, where its uses included treating colds, sore throats, and even fevers. And it was considered a digestive supporting herb as well. Rosemary is associated with remembrance, and in ancient Greece, it was not uncommon to see a scholar
00:10:42
Speaker
wearing a crown of rosemary on their head because they believed that it would improve their memory while studying. I've also read about this in the past. like i I didn't look it up to like put the the study in the like the show notes or anything, but there was a study done with rosemary where they placed rosemary plants near people that were studying. and they encouraged them to like touch the plant and smell the plant periodically. While they were taking a test on the subject that they studied, they were also given access to the rosemary plant. And those that had plants versus those that didn't, when they tested, they tested higher. Dang. So there's been a lot of like studies with Alzheimer's, with rosemary and stuff, where a lot of times like
00:11:26
Speaker
Rosemary won't reverse Alzheimer's, but sometimes if somebody is in like a, like, you know, when they kind of, I don't know what they call it, like a fit where they don't remember where they are or who they're with, that they've been able to give them rosemary plants to smell. And then sometimes it kind of like jogs their memory. So that's very interesting. Right. I love it. The ancient Greeks also linked Rosemary to the goddess Aphrodite. ah Medieval healers would burn Rosemary to ward off contagion. Rosemary has been considered a woman's herb and it's said to represent the matriarch of the home and the dominance of feminine power.
00:12:06
Speaker
It was often carried at funerals in England and it has been believed to bring youth back to those who are older. In Derbyshire there was a tradition where a young woman would place a sprig of rosemary or a crooked sixpence under her pillow on Halloween to dream of their future husbands and the Romans used rosemary to help preserve the dead and this connection has given it the identity of an emblem of eternity Historically, rosemary has also been used in bouquets and wreaths for friendship, fidelity, bridal wreaths, and funerals. And it was said to have been one of the plants that opened to hide the Virgin Mary from Herod's soldiers. And I found it really interesting that both herbs I'm covering today like have ties to the Virgin Mary. Interesting. Right? I was like, that's an odd little thing to happen. Mm-hmm.
00:12:56
Speaker
So in terms of the rosemary plant, it's an evergreen shrub that can grow three to six feet tall. Its leaves are gray green and needle-like in shape, and it has a very strong scent. It'll also bloom tiny flowers that can be either white, purple, blue, or pink. It's native to the Mediterranean region, but as I said earlier, like it's readily available. It's pretty much like out there for anyone, and it's popular in culinary kitchens. Its botanical family is the Lamaze CA family. The parts used are the leaves, twigs, and the oil, and it can be used in creating infusions, tinctures, glycerites, capsules, topicals like salves, balms, and creams, in incense, and of course in culinary settings.
00:13:43
Speaker
And here's its long list of actions. So, Rosemary is an anodyne, it's antibacterial, it's antidepressant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutogenic, antioxidant, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, aromatic, estringent, cardiotonic, carminative, cephalic, sholigog, colorectic, circulatory stimulant, diaphoretic, digestive, aminagogue, hypertensive, nirvine, ophthalmic, rejuvenative. It's a ruba fashion, a stimulant, and it's a yang tonic. And its energetics are pungent, bitter, warm, and dry.
00:14:26
Speaker
Its primary medicinal uses are that it tones the nervous system, improves peripheral circulation, promotes warmth, invigorates the lungs, curbs infection, promotes immunity, improves digestion, improves circulation. It's used as a memory aid and has been used as support in Alzheimer's, disease, and dementia. It's great when it's used in a compress for bruises, eczema, sprains, and rheumatism. It can aid in symptoms of anxiety, asthma, bronchitis, cancer, cataracts, and or poor vision. Cellulite, colds, dandruff, depression, dyspepsia, ah epilepsy, fatigue, hair loss, headaches, migraines, stress, hyper and hypotension, vertigo, and flatulence.
00:15:13
Speaker
And it's also been used historically to help in delayed menses and with menstrual cramps. And you could gargle rosemary for sore throat, gamma elements, canker sores, and as a breath freshener. And it can be used as a skin wash to help prevent wrinkles. So I'm about to start washing my face with some rosemary. Oh yeah. Yeah. Rosemary is a common and popular culinary plant that has been used around the world as a spice, but it should be noted that rosemary's essential oil should be avoided during pregnancy. And as always, please do your own research. We cannot stress this enough. In folk magic, which we know is where a lot of our medicinal uses of plants stem from prior to scientific studies, which of course still scientific studies are slim in the herbal world, rosemary is thought to alleviate sadness and grief.
00:16:05
Speaker
and it's tied to healing, heart health, and circulation, clearing the mind, aiding in memory, reviving the sinuses, and soothing sore muscles and joints. And using it in a tea is great for sore throats and to help clear congestion. So in terms of its magical uses, rosemary is a great choice for using in spellwork and charms meant for supporting general health, for clearing negative energy, and in protection rituals. It is an herb of the sun which embodies personal power, health, and success. Its planetary magical energies include self-confidence, success, vitality, courage, authority, dignity, fame, and self-knowledge, and it carries masculine energy and its element is air.
00:16:51
Speaker
Rosemary is most commonly tied to healing, improved memory focus, warding off negative energy, protection, love, lust, purification, healing, sleep, and youthfulness. And it was also often used in blends for exorcisms. In working with the Wheel of the Year, rosemary is a correspondence for Samhain, Yule, Letha, and Lamis. And rosemary is also considered a symbol of love and loyalty and is often incorporated into hand fasting ceremonies. Rosemary can also be used when working any fertility magic. And if you plant rosemary by your garden gate, it brings good luck into your home. And as a bonus, it's strong scent is said to deter insects. So I'm going to say that it's currently not keeping away these gross little gnats that are like everywhere in Germany right now. You're like swarming my rosemary plant. And I'm like, I thought you were supposed to repel these guys. Right? Yeah. Please do your job.
00:17:47
Speaker
Yeah, you can also hang a bundle of rosemary at your front door as a form of protection. And if you practice any type of ancestral magic, it's recommended that you burn a bit of dried rosemary in a fire safe container, obviously, and allow this sweet smoke to envelope your altar. It's believed that burning rosemary is a way to enhance your remembrance so it can help you to connect with those who are no longer in their physical bodies. You can also sprinkle rosemary over a grave to bring comfort to the dead and bring memories for the ones that are left behind. Burning rosemary is also said to add an energy of protection and purification to a space, and taking a bath infused with rosemary before bed will help ward away nightmares, but it's also used in the bath to bring about youthfulness, so I'm about to start adding rosemary to my bath too.
00:18:37
Speaker
who And wearing an amulet with Rosemary can give its wearer confidence and courage. Oh, and then I'm gonna wear an ambulance as well. and yeah you like ambulance Ambulance? Like an ambulance? Seriously, it is. If only, dear listeners, you could hear all of the things that will be edited out of this episode. um good yeah yeah Yeah, the Greeks are coming. Yeah, the Greeks are coming.
00:19:11
Speaker
I love it. I love it.
Cinnamon in Medicine and Magic
00:19:13
Speaker
I spelled fold instead of folk, so it says fold magic. When I saw that, I was like, I caught it.
00:19:22
Speaker
You read that flawlessly, I will say. I was like, for a folk? A folk? A fold magic? What is this? It's a new kind of magic. You never heard of this one before. I created it. But yeah, rosemary is precious. Everyone probably has it. And now you know how to use it. who Yeah, we love rosemary. so Moving on to cinnamon. This is the only plant that I'm covering this episode because this shit was fucking long. so It's a beefy boy. Bear with me on this. As an overview, cinnamon is one of the most widely used spices in medicine, esotericism, and white magic throughout history. so Just note, there's going to be a fucking lot of shit here.
00:20:11
Speaker
Cinnamon is a bushy evergreen tree from the Laurel family. The spice is cultivated from the dried inner bark of the tree and it's native to Sri Lanka, along the Malabar coast of India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and in parts of South America and the West Indies. There are a few scientific names for cinnamon and the different scientific names correlate with where the cinnamon is cultivated. It also encompasses the flavor. Yes, yeah. So this includes cinnamomum asia, which is Chinese cinnamon, cinnamomum verum, which is Ceylon cinnamon, cinnamomum loriroi, I think, which is Saigon and Vietnamese cinnamon, cinnamomum bermani, which is Indonesian cinnamon, and cinnamomum citridorum, which is Malabar cinnamon.
00:21:08
Speaker
And if I could say cinnamon more, I would. Those botanical names ah wild there are Most of these different types of cinnamon can be used interchangeably, but it's noted that the Ceylon cinnamon is best for baking in desserts due to its flavor profile. It's my favorite. Yeah, I've only really gotten teased. Yeah, I only just buy like the cinnamon that is readily available at the store, which I'm assuming is probably the Ceylon one. Um, sometimes it's Saigon. Hmm. Yes. Like I for a while I was trying to find Ceylon cinnamon and I all I could find was Saigon at all the stores and I was like, what the hell? Hmm. Well,
00:21:58
Speaker
That'll do it for you. Cinnamon has many phytochemicals, which are chemical compounds in plants that help them resist fungi, bacteria, and plant viruses, and consumption. And consumption can offer benefits to humans. So some of the phytochemicals in cinnamon include terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and glycosides. Throughout history, as I mentioned, cinnamon was widely used. And at one time, cinnamon was even more valuable than gold. In Egypt, it was used for embalming and religious practices. In medieval Europe, it was used for religious rights and to flavor foods. And it was also the most profitable spice in the Dutch East India Company trade, which I thought was pretty interesting, especially that it was more valuable than gold at one point. Yeah. It's interesting. I love those parts of history where it's like at one point,
00:22:50
Speaker
We paid for things with tulip bulbs or cinnamon or, you know. It's so interesting to be like, right? I'll pay you in cinnamon. Right. i wrote Like I have a plethora of fucking, I don't even, nothing really, but like when it's in the summer, you know, plethora of dandelions. I will pay you in dandelions. Would you like my dandelions? like How many cinnamon sticks is a carton of eggs? Yes. Let's barter this shit. So before I get into its uses, both medicinal and magical, I want to take a second to discuss safety when using cinnamon.
00:23:28
Speaker
Cinnamon safety class is 2B, which means it's not safe for use during pregnancy. Cinnamon as a whole is generally safe to use by the FDA, and studies show that low amounts of cinnamon are generally safe to for use by most individuals. But large amounts of cinnamon normally seen in taking cinnamon supplements can cause health concerns due to its due to its coumarin content. Coumarin can inhibit vitamin K synthesis and act as a blood thinner. So obviously, if you have a condition where you already have thin blood, taking cinnamon supplements is probably not for you. um High doses during pregnancy is also not recommended because in some animal studies, large amounts of cinnamon use correlated with birth defects.
00:24:11
Speaker
So as we say with everything, we've already said it once this episode, I'm gonna say it again, because just in case you didn't hear Tiffany, do your own research. If you're interested in using cinnamon in a medicinal way outside of like a sprinkle in your coffee or what is called for in just regular recipes, in the words of the genius, s Sabrina Carpenter, please, please talk with your doctor first. So I will say, as somebody who researches these like herbal topics regularly, just know that one article that you read is going to contradict the next article. And that's why it's important to talk to your doctor if you're wanting to use an herb as any type of supplement or for any like health thing, because I can tell you right now, I've read like 10 articles on cinnamon that will say, A, like the first one, don't use during pregnancy. And the next one will say during pregnancy, use it this way for this thing. And so like,
00:25:11
Speaker
There hasn't been a lot of scientific research done on these plants, especially with humans. Most of them are in animals. So while, yes, animal studies can show us things that could happen, it's not necessarily what would happen to a human body in consumption. And be most studies aren't done for women anyways in scientific research. So always talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns or like you're wanting to use an herbal supplement, especially during like pregnancy or if you're already on other medications. Yeah. So after you have talked with your doctor and gotten the okay to use cinnamon medicinally,
00:25:56
Speaker
I'm going to go over the medicinal uses. and Much of what I'm going to talk about in this section was compiled by Daniel Powers from the Botanical Institute. and I have the article linked in the show notes for reference, of course. so If you're interested in learning more and reading the studies that I reference in this section, check out that article because it's all there. so Traditional medicinal uses of cinnamon were used for heart health, gastrointestinal complaints, gynecological disorders, and inflammation. So modern studies have noted that there are many health benefits of cinnamon and some of the herbal actions are that it's an anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-diabetic, and anti-microbial, as well as cardiovascular protective, neuroprotective, and immune boosting.
00:26:43
Speaker
So cinnamon can help lower blood sugar. It helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and is an important herb to help with hyperglycemia, aka when you have too much sugar in the blood and too little insulin in the body. this condition is linked with diabetes. And so studies have confirmed this, but just to highlight one, a study was conducted with 140 individuals with type two diabetes and participants were given cinnamon bark powder capsules of 500 milligrams or a placebo twice a day for three months. And the group who was taking the cinnamon bark capsules saw a reduction in body weight, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol numbers. And additionally, it helps with your heart health. Because cinnamon helps lower cholesterol, it has also been found to promote blood flow. Elevated cholesterol occurs when there are too many lipids or fat in your bloodstream, and this can lead to blockages, which puts you at risk for stroke or a heart attack. And there are two different types of lipid compounds in the blood, and these are LDL, which is low density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, AKA bad cholesterol, and HDL, which is high density lipoprotein, AKA
00:27:56
Speaker
HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol. Many studies have shown that cinnamon helps to decrease LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol numbers just like as a whole so pretty fucking cool if I do say so myself. Cinnamon also as I mentioned is anti-inflammatory and inflammation if you weren't aware is the way our bodies deal with illness injuries or like an irritant in our system. So short-term inflammation can help jumpstart our immune systems. However, sometimes inflammation can be chronic, which is not good. And it's linked to a host of different diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and even certain bowel diseases like Crohn's disease. But because cinnamon contains many anti-inflammatory properties, cinnamon can help with the body's inflammatory response
00:28:45
Speaker
and studies have suggested that cinnamon essential oil helps decrease inflammation in the body. And then moving on to gastrointestinal health, cinnamon helps our gut and many studies back this claim. A 2021 study shows that cinnamon oil helped reduce indigestion and cinnamon oil can reduce symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease because as I just mentioned cinnamon is an anti-inflammatory so yay! And cinnamon bark used in essential oils, tea infusions, and tinctures was also approved by the German Commission E for use for help of lot with loss of appetite, bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence. So look, two herbs back to back that can help with your tooting issues. So just try. Tooting issues. Tooting.
00:29:34
Speaker
And so as I mentioned, cinnamon is also antimicrobial. Cinnamon contains antifungal and antibacterial properties and can help to fight cavities and prevent tooth decay. There is also a study done that indicates that cinnamon oil helps protect against fungus that infects plants, which allows for farmers to incorporate natural methods to protect their crops. Another study combined the use of cinnamon essential oil and antibiotics in treatment and what they found was that antibiotics were more effective against bacteria such as E. coli, staph, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa when combined with cinnamon. But I thought that study was so fucking cool like the fact that like if you because as we know in today's society there are a lot of I guess like viruses or bacteria that is
00:30:25
Speaker
resistant to antibiotics. And so by combining it with cinnamon, it makes it more effective. So it's really, really cool. I will say to like, in our society, and don't get me wrong, I, you know, I love an antibiotic when we need an antibiotic, but I feel like anymore today with anything, they're automatically like, here's an antibiotic and then destroys all of the good bacteria in your gut. And it takes so long for you to recreate that microbiome in a healthy way. And so if you have
00:31:00
Speaker
a way to work on the issue before it comes like becomes so bad that you need an antibiotic, please do so. But if you need an antibiotic, go get an antibiotic. I will never say, don't do that. But if you can prevent doing that and destroying your healthy bacteria, maybe maybe try that first. Yeah, try that first and then get your ever out of it. I love that you included that. I use just cinnamon powder in my plants. Again, my house plants. It helps keep pests away and I fucking love it because I can't stand me at some bugs in the house.
00:31:42
Speaker
No, I can't either. yeah So a sentiment also helps with pain relief. And this is, I mean, obviously just from an animal trial and as Tiffany already mentioned, like animal studies totally different than human studies, but it can give us some sort of indicators on if something could be effective with humans. So animal trials have indicated that cinnamon can be used to help manage pain. There aren't any human trials done yet to verify findings, but I'm sure it's coming if or when that happens, you know, we'll
00:32:15
Speaker
probably hear about it. Something else cool about cinnamon is that the fact that it has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help protect your cells from free radicals, which are created when our bodies break down food or when we're exposed to environmental toxins like radiation or tobacco smoke. Free radicals increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, and many studies have been done to verify this, and compared to 20 other different spices in another study, cinnamon was found to be the most active antioxidant. It can also be used to help as a natural food preservative.
00:32:47
Speaker
And then lastly, when it comes to medicinal uses, cinnamon can also help your brain. So this, much like pain management, is still being researched and understood. However, cinnamon has been linked to brain health due to its neuroprotective effects. So there are two compounds found in cinnamon, cinnamaldehyde, and I should have looked this up, epi could teach it epic, epic, ah but Something that starts with an E, okay? I don't know how to fucking say it, and I can't even sound it out. So it's something that starts with an E, and it appears to inhibit the buildup of certain proteins in the brain that lead to Alzheimer's. And in animal studies, cinnamon has shown to protect neurons, improve motor function, and normalize neurotransmitter levels in mice with Parkinson's disease. So look at that, not only two herbs to help you with your toots, but two herbs to help you with your brain.
00:33:41
Speaker
Yeah. And you can put this in your coffee, put the rosemary on your chicken. You know what I mean? You could use it every day. It's very delightful in tea. It is. I put ground cinnamon in my coffee every morning, just a little pop into my coffee. coffee grounds while it's brewing so it like infuses into my coffee. And I put rosemary in a lot of my teas that I make for myself at home because it is a little more savory so it's not everyone's favorite but with a little honey, it's very delightful. Yeah, I love rosemary. I love my summer solstice cookies. I put rosemary in
00:34:19
Speaker
That's really good. So moving on to magical uses of rosemary. The correspondences of rosemary when it comes to magic, it's associated with the element of fire and the planetary associations are the sun and the moon. The zodiac signs associated with cinnamon are Aries, Leo, and Cancer. And the deities associated with cinnamon are Aphrodite, Venus, Mars, Hestia, and Mercury. So there are many, many magical uses of cinnamon throughout history. Cinnamon is often found in magical workings dealing with protection, healing, love, prosperity, success, power, and sex magic, just to name a few. And I'm going to discuss a few of those now.
00:35:03
Speaker
So as far as protection goes, sprinkling cinnamon water around your home can help to purify and protect your space from negative energy. You can also make cinnamon water and add it to a little bit of the water that you use to water your plants, and it will help keep your plants purified. And it also acts as a natural way to cleanse your space. And Lore also states that hanging cinnamon behind the main entrance of your home can keep evil away and deter negative energy. And do you see this? common in many areas of the States as well as in parts of Europe, but cinnamon brooms. And you see these a lot at like little metaphysical shops as well, or even just that fucking like hobby lobby, like during the like, yeah, people in low sell them during like Thanksgiving, Christmas, like that period of time in America, like you can I will let them down.
00:35:53
Speaker
I walk in to a Lowe's with Anthony and I'm like, the cinnamon brooms are here because you can just smell them. You just smell them down. I put them down, I buy it, put it above my door. Yes. I keep them up my door all year. So just hang it by your door or even prop it up by your door and you can use it in protection. You can also use cinnamon oil to annoy objects during protection rituals or blessings. And so moving on to prosperity. Cinnamon can be used as an incense to increase vibrational energy and attract positive things like healing and money. And if you add cinnamon or clove to your wallet, it's said to attract financial prosperity. And if you own a business, you can attract financial prosperity by placing the cinnamon stick inside of the cash register or wherever you keep your money and
00:36:39
Speaker
For love, cinnamon can be used as an aphrodisiac and it can be used to attract the opposite sex and help spread sexual vibrational energy. And according to Tina Caro at The Magical Spot, you can bathe with cinnamon to increase passion and and intimacy in your relationship. She also said to add sugar and honey to the bath and bathe with the person you love, but I'm sorry, that sounds a little bit like a mixture for a UTI, so I will not be partaking in that. but I wouldn't mind adding cinnamon itself to the bath, but I will not be adding the sugar or honey or anything like that to my bath. Honey would be safe in your bath. But not the sugar. Sugar, no. Absolutely not. I will not be adding sugar, but honey would be okay in a bath. It's not going to give you a UTI. um so Moving on to spirituality, because cinnamon can increase your vibrational frequency, it can be used to stimulate psychic abilities.
00:37:33
Speaker
Additionally, adding cinnamon oil or water to a bath and relaxing in the bath for 30 minutes outside of like the whole sex magic stuff can create a calming effect by relaxing your muscles and can bring about more positive dreams. And if you practice a law of attraction, adding cinnamon into your workings before meditation or while you're working on your manifestation can increase the effectiveness. And cinnamon is also energy boosting. Cinnamon can increase the energy of your other ingredients that you use in your magical workings. So it kind of acts like a quartz crystal to amplify other oils, infusions, or herbs while you're doing your spell work, which is really cool. And I add cinnamon to a lot of my spells that I do whenever I make like a cauldron, like little spell. I always add some cinnamon and it is so sweet and it smells so good. I love it. I use cinnamon in a lot of stuff too.
00:38:25
Speaker
i and both like, herbally and magically because it's perfect. Yeah. So the next one I'm covering and the last one of today's episode is Calendula.
Calendula's Historical and Magical Uses
00:38:37
Speaker
Its botanical name is Calendula officinalis. It's also known as marigold, bride of the sun, drunkard, which I thought was really funny, golds, holly gold, husband's men's dial, Marybud, Mary gals, roots,
00:38:56
Speaker
riddles, spouse solace, and summer's bride. The calendula flower has been used in rituals for centuries. The ancient Greeks and Romans wore calendula crowns, um and the Hindu cultures used it to decorate statues of deities. And it's also still used in this way today to decorate Day of the Dead altars in Mexico and Central America. Its oldest documentation is believed to be 1100 CE for conditional uses, and it was especially used against melancholy. Lore on Calendula states that if you cast a handful of Calendula petals across your bed, you will be safe and protected, and it's believed that Calendula can also offer you prophetic dreams. Calendula is said to be named for the Virgin Mary for Mary's gold or marigold.
00:39:43
Speaker
And you can also plant calendula alongside your fruits and vegetables to help deter current pests. It's said that many pests dislike calendula and will often keep away from it. And we actually used calendula in our garden beds um in Illinois because of those damn squash bugs that exist out there that destroy your squash and zucchini plants. And it helped cut like, I think it cut them down in half. It didn't completely deter them, but those things are a menace to society. So it did help a little bit. So calendula is easily identifiable due to its bright orange blossoms, and it's a member of the daisy family. But also note that there's like 20 species in the calendula family, and that's why botanical names are really important, especially in herbal medicine, because you want to make sure you're getting the properties from the correct plant when you're trying to use them for medicinal purposes. So always check the botanical or scientific name.
00:40:41
Speaker
Its flower petals range from orange to deep yellow, and they have a one to three inch central cluster of tubular flowers that are surrounded by several rows of ray florets. The stalk can grow up to two feet tall and it produces stems with medium green leaves covered in small hair-like strands. Its botanical family is the Astraaceae family. The parts used are the flowers and florets. It can be used in creating infusions, teas, tinctures, salves, and balms. Its actions are antiseptic, astringent, vulnerable, alternative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immune stimulant, antiviral, antifungal, sholigog, diaphoretic, lymphatic, antispasmatic, and it's an aminagogue. Its energetics are warm and dry, as well as slightly bitter, and it's cited in both the Ayurvedic tradition as well as in traditional Chinese medicine.
00:41:36
Speaker
Its primary medicinal uses are that it cleanses wounds, reduces inflammation, promotes healing, and stimulates circulation. It's good for minor cuts, scrapes, burns, acne, rashes, and broken bones. And it's considered a heal all herb. It's great for fungal infections like athlete's foot and thrush. It's helpful for diaper rashes and or sore nipples due to breastfeeding. And it can be combined with vitamin E and rubbed on pregnant bellies to help prevent stretch marks. What I will say about this is some sources tell you not to use calendula when you're pregnant, so this is an herb that you would definitely probably talk to your doctor, though calendula is generally a safe herb for pretty much anything, but talk to your doctor first. Because it's considered a cleansing herb,
00:42:23
Speaker
It can be used in skincare to help with skin conditions like acne and eczema. It helps to move the lymph through the body, which promotes the removal of waste and illness. But note that you should not, like just absolutely do not use calendula on an open wound that is infected. because what you're going to do is risk the infection becoming sealed into the wound. Calingula is a healing herb that will help a wound close pretty quickly, so always make sure that you treat and rid the wound of infection prior to using calingula topically. Calingula has been used historically to detoxify the liver and gallbladder, and the petals have
00:43:00
Speaker
a historical reputation as an effective topical aid for cuts, scrapes, burns, and bites. It was even used at some point in history for jaundice. It's best known for its medicinal uses for the skin and as an antifungal, and I love this particular flower because it's extremely versatile in herbal medicine. It's commonly used in teas as well as tinctures, It can be used to infuse into carrier oils and added to butters and balms to create salves, lotions, and even just like alone as a body oil. And because of its energies and actions, calendula can also be brewed into a tea, cooled, and then used for a wash for irritated mucus membranes for general vaginal itching, but like as a sitz bath, not as a douche. So if you got like, you know, some itching down there,
00:43:49
Speaker
You can brew some calendula tea, put it in a little sitz bath and hang out for a little bit. It's also been used in... What's a sitz bath? Like you just squat over it? Yeah, I mean, it's just like a shallow bath. It's like you don't need to make a full bathtub full and soak your whole body. It's just like a shallow sitz bath is what they call it. Oh, because like you're sitting in it. Yeah, you're just sitting in it and for that it's for like vaginal health, right? So you just really only need it to... reach your vagina so you don't have to fill your whole tub with like calendula water. Yeah. Yeah. and Yeah. It's just a way to like not use as much.
00:44:28
Speaker
I've always wondered what the fuck Sitz Baths were. Yeah. Yeah. Because in my head, i it ends with a Z, but no, it's a Sitz, like with an S sitting in it. Learn something new every day. Yeah. Well, and some of them too, like they'll they'll call it a Sitz Bath, but it's meant to be like a steam for like butt or vagina problems or penis problems or diaper rashes, like those kinds of things for kids or yeah. so But yeah, or ah you seem commonly too, if like pregnant or like just birthed women will be given six baths for things. Yeah.
00:45:09
Speaker
And also, it's been used in soups and stews as an immune booster and can be added raw to salads, cookies, and cakes, which I now want to try. um I use it in tea. I've never cooked with it. But I have done so with, like, I've baked cookies with dandelion petals and stuff. So I assume it would probably be very similar and just as delicious. In terms of its magical uses, calendula is well known in the magical realm to carry sunny energy, brightness, and cheeriness. This is because it is also an herb of the sun. So just like rosemary, it carries those same planetary energies. In addition, calendula's element is fire. Calendula is most commonly tied to protection, spiritual and psychic developments, prophetic dreams, legal matters, and psychic powers. In working with the will of the year, calendula is a correspondence for letha. And calendula is one of the sacred herbs of midsummer.
00:46:06
Speaker
It has been used for protection throughout history and its energy can dispel negativity while drawing light to its user. It's said that you should keep calendula in your pocket when you're trying to stay on the sunny side of life and allow its energy to move stagnation. Adding calendula to your bathwater is said to allow you to soak in the bright energy. If you want to avoid clogging your drain though, add them to a tea ball, a muslin pouch, or you can even just like brew a really strong tea that you pour ah like strain and pour into your bathwater.
00:46:37
Speaker
Having calendula as part of your bath is thought to also draw health and vitality to your auric field. If burned as an incense or included in a ritual oil, calendula is said to attract success in every area, including legal matters. And in Slavic countries, men and boys would carry calendula roots wrapped in purple silk cloth to be seen as more attractive to women. Ooh, interesting. Yeah, but that's it. That's That's calendula. i love and gelatic little plant I use it in probably half of my teas that I blend. I make salves and oils with it. It's perfect for like, like I was saying, like minor cuts and scrapes and burns, like
00:47:23
Speaker
it helps heal wounds. And I haven't seen any scientific research, but it is talked about being used as an internal healer for like bone breaks or strains too. But again, writing there's not a lot of scientific research done in herbal medicine. So I can't say for sure that it's like they've studied it and that it does work, but I wouldn't put it past this plant because the way that it stitches your skin back together is amazing. Yeah, that is really cool. I used to use this lotion. It was from France. I can't even remember the brand of it, but I have to order it special online. And it was like a calendula lotion um whenever Avery was little, because she had like when she was really little, like a baby, baby, because she had eczema really bad. And you know, there's only so much you can put on baby skin. And that was like, you know, obviously it different standards in the US and and Europe and France had like much better
00:48:19
Speaker
stuff. But yeah, I that's when I first like started like being like, Okay, you can use calendula for a lot of shit. I love that. So more readily available, maybe you know, the brand keels. who Yes, I like have an entire skincare line that is for it's like gentle, and it's calendula based. So it's like calendula, calendula tonic, there's a calendula cleanser, a mask, a lotion, like, my it's expensive. But it's it's great. So good. Yeah. I love that. Okay. Yeah. well and But anyway, that's a, that is the episode. Yeah.
Episode Wrap-up
00:48:58
Speaker
Well, be boyside it was thanks for staying with us. Lots of information out there in the end. I am doing something weird with my shirt. Anyway,
00:49:17
Speaker
we'll see y'all later.
00:49:27
Speaker
That's it for this episode of Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft. You can find resource material for this episode linked in the show notes. If you love this episode, we would be forever thankful if you leave us a five-star review on wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you really love the show and want more Get In Loser content, check out our Supercast link providing the show notes or search the Supercast website for Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft. There you can purchase and membership to our podcast and obtain exclusives, like in the episodes early, shoutouts on the show, access to our Ask Me Anything forum, our monthly newsletter, our promo code for merchandise, and more. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at Get In Witches, or email us at we'redoingwitchcraft at gmail.com. Join us next week as we delve into the world of rooms. Until then, blessed be witches.