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Hell Notes for Beauty

Spirituality • Health • Lifestyle

The Magical and Ritual Uses of Angelica Root


Herbal Scientific Names: Angelica Root; Don Quai aka Asian Angelica (Angelica Sinensis); Angelique; Garden Angelica; Holy Ghost; Angelica Archangelica; European Angelica; Norwegian Angelica; Chanda

Ritual & Magical Uses:

  • Angelic & Fairy Realm
  • Communication
  • Protection
  • Healing
  • Happiness
  • Empowerment
  • Exorcism
  • Healing
  • Visions
  • Gambling
  • Luck


Magical Mythology of Angelica Root

Angelica root is put to use in ritual to communicate with other realms especially the fairy and angelic dimension, most commonly with the Archangel Micheal.

Folk stories has it that Archangel Micheal (sometimes Gabriel is named too) came to a monk in a dream and brought this herb to human knowledge to use for healing purposes. At which time humanity was dealing with a plague and eventually Angelica became well known to prevent and treat deadly plagues.

When used in baths, Angelica root strengthens the aura, purifies and clears the aura of low vibrating entities that may attach themselves to you. When low vibrating energies magnetize themselves to your energy field, you may feel depression, deal with negative thoughts, feel confused and attract negative situations wherever you go.

Angelica Root is notable for magical purposes, especially to remove curses, hexes or evil energy that may have been projected toward your or your home.  Angelica Roots promotes peace, harmony and healing so this can be an ideal herb to use and also burn in spaces where there may be a lot of discord, sorrow or illness.

Angelica Root opens portals to higher communication with self and your personal thoughts. It enhances mental powers, removes creative blockages and allows you clear communication with your intuition. It is also my favorite herb to place under my pillow in a sachet baggy to remember my dreams.

How to Use Angelica Root:

Essential Oil: Angelica Root oil can be used in oil warmers for its aromatherapy qualities. If you’re dealing with stress, anxiety or exhaustion, Angelica Root may be the herb for you to use in your oil warmer to disperse its aroma throughout any space to promote tranquility and peace.

Angelica Root essential oil can also be used to dress your candles to enhance its magical properties. Depending on the purpose of your ritual and intent, such as protection or during meditation to open your third eye, Angelica Root oil helps raise stagnant spiritual vibrations.

Incense: Burning Angelica as incense can bless your home or any space you wish to cleanse and purify and ground the energy fields of your space.  Brings harmony and clarity especially if you’re unable to concentrate or feel uncomfortable in your space. Banishes evil forces and is very protective, defending against the evil eye and hexes people may try to work against you, your home or work environment.

Check out our post on how to Smudge using herbs and resins as incense here.

Aura Baths: Another great way to incorporate Angelica Root to your spiritual rituals is via Aura baths.  Many times we may interact with people or visit places where our energy fields can be invaded by low vibrations.  These type of people or places can feed off of you and drain you significantly.

Protecting your energy field by means of aura baths is a great way to create barriers and fortify your energy against these type of debilitating environments.

To do an aura bath is fairly simple and your intent should be clear as to the purpose of your ritual.

Here’s are some quick steps you can take to create a effective Aura Bath.

  • Fill a bowl with water
  • Add herbs to water
  • Add charged water or perfume/cologne/essential oil (optional)
  • Light candle and meditate for a few minutes and program the bath
  • Take bath or pour over you after shower

You can also sprinkle Angelica Root in the corners of your home or any space to create a shield of protection. You can also add the herb to a sachet or mojo bag for protection and luck.

Eastern Botanicals Herbal Supplements Review

When it comes to health, everyone’s needs differ and can vary greatly depending on your lifestyle.  This is why I have come to really like Eastern Botanicals because they offer a customized regimen to maintain a balanced and healthy well being to fit any lifestyle.  In early Spring, I was contacted by Brittany and Laurent at Eastern Botanicals to try out their line of herbal supplements & after several months feel like its time for a recap.

Eastern Botanicals specializes in herbal blends on the principles of Chinese medicine focusing on balancing the elements within the mind, body & Spirit.  Mind, Body and Spirit are one in the same and blockages in your energy field (known as Qi) can be detrimental to your health.  

Before I share my review, let me tell you a little bit more about Eastern Botanicals and their values on healing the mind and spirit.

About Eastern Botanicals 

  • Founded by the fourth generation herbal doctor, Dr. Michelle Dao, Eastern Botanicals is a company founded on tradition and value of health.
  • All products are packaged and manufactured in the USA.
  • Sourced herbs are carefully analyzed and selected and all herbs are sourced to sustainable farmers throughout Asia due to Eastern Botanicals strict standards of approval.
  • Not Tested on Animals
  • Naturally Gluten Free & No Artificial Colors or Flavors

Now that you’ve learned a bit about Eastern Botanicals, I will share with you 2 of the 3 supplements I chose, Mood Balance and Weight Loss. I also got Joint Support but have not tried it yet, so I will review that one in another post, coming soon.

Mood Balance

Ingredients: BAI-ZHU ATRACTYLODES (rhizome), BROWN LILY(bulb), PORIA (sclerotium), ASTRAGALUS (root), WHITE PEONY (root), JUJUBE (seed), AMERICAN GINSENG(root), LOTUS (seed), CODONOPSIS (root), ORIENTAL GINSENG (root), TANGERINE (peel), SCHISANDRA(fruit), WHITE MUSTARD (seed), SENECA (root), DONG QUAI (root), CHINESE LICORICE (root)

  Eastern Botanicals is new for me in the sense that I generally don’t take herbal supplements where a variety of herbs are concocted into one supplement. I typically gravitate toward single herbs or vitamins (Ashwghandha), (Biotin)  to better understand how that specific ingredient reacts with my body.

As mentioned, this line of supplements are blends to target a specific ailment or need.  In this case, Mood Balance deals with stress which I typically take adaptogens for.  As you can see the ingredients list above, there’s quite a variety to not only target stress, but also assist the related bodily functions to help resist stress. Here’s some I researched in Mood Balance.

  •  Tangerine peel is used to regulate Qi (energy), relieves bloating and prevents stagnation.
  • The root of the white peony treats abdominal cramps related to menstruation, (who knew?) and its used in Chinese medicine to treat bloating and cleanses the liver.
  • American Ginseng is known to help with energy levels, stamina, and boost the immune system, relieves stress, clears the mind and cools your energy as well as treat digestive issues.

I supplemented my favorite ashwagandha for Mood Balance on the weekdays during my long work days to fight stress and fatigue. I also make sure to take them right before my menstrual cycle. This helps me remain calm and curb any anxious eating I tend to deal with before my cycle.  Mood Balance is also definitely great if you deal with poor digestion, as constipation can lead to irritability, bloating and extra weight in your mid section.

Weight Loss

GREEN TEA (leaf), SICKLE-POD SENNA (seed), ASIAN PLANTAIN (leaf), ASIAN PLANTAIN (seed),ASTRAGALUS (root), AMERICAN GINSENG (root),CHINESE LICORICE (root), SCHISANDRA (fruit), SENNA(leaf), PEPPERMINT (leaf)

Right when I started the gym, (consistent 2 months now!), I started taking Weight Loss to help boost energy.  I stopped taking Ashwghanda which was my main supplement for energy and find I have just the right amount of energy to keep me going through the end of the day with Mood Balance.

 On the flip side, Weight loss helps curb my appetite as I’m not as hungry or reaching for snacks as usual.  I also go to the bathroom a lot more since using this supplement which helps with bloating and water weight. As far as weight loss, I have lost weight, but can’t say I contribute it entirely to the supplement as I have been keeping a diet to complement my workouts as well,

Here’s a few highlights of some of the ingredients in this herbal blend.

  • Green Tea aids with weight loss and burning fat.  Stimulates brain function and reduces stress as well as boost energy levels without the typical crash or jitters.  Regulates sugar levels (sweet tooth here!).
  • Plantain leaf what I have liked with herbal blends are the new herbs I’ve been able to research.  Plantain leaf contains many vitamins and minerals and is said to be diuretic which helps rid the body of water weight.
  • Senna helps promote digestion and reduces bloating which again, if you were not aware, improving your digestion is key to maintaining overall health and of course the coveted flat tummy.

I still have about another month left of supply of each supplement and like how these two  combined work for me.   I maintain a steady stream of energy throughout the day without feeling jittery or burned out, while maintaining my weight.  I take weight loss twice a day on the days I’m working out, which is about 3 to 4 times a week.  Mood balance just once a day to keep my mind sharp and digestion regular.

Overall, Eastern Botanical is a staple in my medicine cabinet and desk at work.  Did I mention how beautiful the packaging truly is? Beautifully thought out and designed featuring the beauty of the herbs they work with.

Learn More at Eastern Botanicals

References:


Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine by Steven Foster & Rebecca L. Johnson

Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven and James Duke

These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Always consult with your physician before taking herbal supplements.

Herb to Know|Eyebright

Recently I’ve been noticing some changes in my vision.  I’m squinting a bit more, slightly blurry vision, and feel like my eyes are tired most of the time.  My job requires me to be in front of a computer screen often and although I’m able to schedule time away from the computer screen at work, I don’t find myself giving my eyes as much of a break I’m sure it needs.  Not to mention that most of my downtime is of course in front of a computer or phone screen.

Stress, lack of rest and not so healthy eating habits can definitely lead to dry, itchy tired eyes especially after a long day of focusing your eyes. Lately I’ve been taking steps to eliminate a lot of the sugar I consume on a daily basis and focusing on incorporating more whole foods into my daily diet.

In that pursuit I made my way to my local natural health store and picked up an Eyebright herbal supplement.  I hope to have a review on this mid summer as I have not been using it too long to give my opinion just yet.  But so far my research has led me to some interesting information on this herb.

What is Eyebright? Annual|Masculine|Air|Sun|Leo

  • Anti inflammatory
  • Eyestrain
  • Under eye circles and Puffiness
  • Cataracts
  • Cleanses Liver
  • Reduces acne irritation when used as a facial
  • Eczema
  • Strengthens and clears the mind
  • Sinus infections
  • Hay Fever
  • Sore Throat

Considering all the potential benefits, I’ll give these a try and keep you posted.

Sources:

Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine-By Steven Foster, Rebecca L. Johnson


Prescription for Herbal Healing- By Phyllis A. Balch

Bee Propolis Update

This past July I shared with everyone (link here) that I’d be taking bee propolis as a supplement.  It’s been 2 months as of this weekend and as mentioned here is my review….

***Please be advised that I’m not a medical doctor.  I decided to take this for my own curiosity and health benefits.  Please remember that everyone is different, this is just my experience. Please do your research when it refers to anything you may decide to take without your doctor’s approval.***

Now with that said, off to my experience.

I primarily decided to take Bee Propolis for it’s ability to boost the immune system and also fight off any bacteria that may be contributing to my sinus issues.  The first two weeks from July 28 to August 28, I took a capsule every morning after breakfast with tea or water.  I was feeling energized and clear headed and felt a difference between the first two weeks and into the the third.

By the third week I was taking them everyday then stopped that weekend around the 18 of August.  Pretty much sticking to my 3 week rule.   I stopped for about a week or two and have been adding them back to my diet every other day or three.  Since I’ve been noticing a lot of people with colds lately I decided to boost back up and have started to take them every morning this past week.  Around mid August I also started taking a spoonful a day of Mollasses, just to help with anemia and along with the bee propolis have been taking it daily this past week as well.

I prefer to take them right with white tea or oolong tea.  Bee Propolis has a  rather medicinal after taste almost like a disinfectant oddly enough, is how I can describe it. And the molasses has a rather bitter taste.  I prefer the blackstrap in the bottle versus the one I bought.   But the warm tea helps mask any after tastes. Other than the clear head feeling and boost in energy, I did not feel any other side effects or any complaints about bee propolis.

 My sinuses have been flaring up but it’s mostly due to work stress and my diet can improve a bit more too.  I’m thinking about doing a juicing challenge this week to give myself a hefty boost in vitamins and minerals.  Won’t set too many details considering I’ll be having a hectic week.  But I’ll try to keep track and post for you guys and hopefully come up with a challenge we can all join!

Herb to Know: Ashwaghanda

Even though I prefer to get most of my vitamins and minerals from the foods I eat, I also like to incorporate herbal supplements into my diet, trying out a new one every 6 months or so. When choosing a supplement I tend to gravitate toward the immune boosting types especially to help with my sinuses and maintain energy levels.

While reading an article about Ashwghanda last summer, I put it on my “to try” list and finally got the chance to buy it. I’ve been working long hours at my new job, my sinuses have been flaring much more than usual and my sleeping pattern has been rather sketchy. So I decided to pick Aswaghanda up to help with all the changes my body seems to be experiencing.

My research into Aswaghanda led me to adaptogens and the supplements that fall into that category. There are several different types of herbs with adaptogenic qualities, some I’ve been familiar with (Ginseng)  and others I’ve never heard of like Ashwaghanda, which is why Ashawaghanda is the herb to know of the moment.

A very popular herb throughout India and the ancient medical system of Ayurveda, Ashwaghanda has many qualities essential for those of us who tend to live a rather fast paced, stress filled lifestyle.

So What Are Adptogens?


Very simply put, adaptogens are basically different types of herbs known to help the body resist and combat stress. Ashwaghanda is one of them. Just like the term Adaptogen implies it helps you adapt to changes while helping your body become balanced and healthy. Adaptogens are known to also help rejuvenate and restore the mind and body overall. Not only does it aid the body with all types of stress be it environmental, emotional or social, adaptogens also posses the ability to help protect against cancer, memory loss, cell degeneration as well as lower stress hormones.

withania somnifera


What can Ashwaghanda be used for?

Ashwaghanda is an adaptogen known to help subside the damaging effects stress has over the body and mind in general. Constant stress, malnutrition and an overall fast paced life style can take a toll on the many systems in our bodies. The immune system, nervous system are all susceptible to weakness due to the amount of stress we tend to expose ourselves to. Which leads the body into over drive trying to constantly protect the body while attempting to achieve balance.

Ashwaghanda calms and protects the nervous system benefiting those who deal with depression and anxiety all related to stress. Ashwaghanda also lowers stress hormones which suppresses the immune system especially when the body is under excessive stress. Ashwaghanda has the ability to also encourage the brain to regenerate new brain cells which makes it a great preventative treatment to help prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.

Aswaghanda is also:

Antibacterial

Combats fatigue

Supports Adrenal Function

Treats reproductive issues in both men and women (infertility; impotence)

Rich in Antioxidants, protecting cells from free radical damage

Helps maintain a clear and focused mind.

My Thoughts:

As with everything, keeping track of your dosage is important.  I pay a lot of attention to my body and try to take notice of any changes when trying out new supplements. On Sept 5 (when I started taking this supplement) I started with 2 capsules for 5 days for two weeks, taking a two day break on the weekends.

Then I cut down to one every other day for another 2 weeks up until Sept 30. Throughout that time I noticed I was much calm and able to concentrate throughout the day. My energy levels were adequate enough to get me through the day and falling asleep was much easier.

Unlike spirulina which gave me marathon like energy (which I liked but was not letting me sleep), Aswaghanda provided me with gradual energy. I was able to get enough energy to get through my 10 hour work day without it interfering with my sleep.

I noticed how calm I felt overall but by week 4 Sept 30 that Friday, I stopped taking Aswaghanda. The reason being that by week 3 I was getting flu like symptoms of getting a cold or getting sick but never quite did. I’ve read that adaptogens can give make you feel that way, which is basically the body cleansing itself. So I gave it another 3 days then stopped. I’ll go back on Monday Oct 10 ending my 10 day rest. I’ll be on it for the rest of the month until further notice.

Overall Aswaghanda helped me take things easier and provided  me with a lot of restful nights. Before trying any supplement make sure to consult with your doctor to avoid complications. As always do you research and find what works best for you as an individual.

There are many type of brands that sell Ashwaghanda. I got mine from my local natural health store for $22.00. Organic and all natural. So make sure to purchase your from a trusted vendor.

References:

~Power of Your Metabolism By Frank Suárez

~Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief By David Winston, Steven Maimes

 ~The Essential Guide to More Than 125 of Nature’s Most … By Michael Castleman

 

Herb to Know: Golden Seal

I started taking golden seal sometime around mid past December. I was dealing with more colds and runny nose than usual so I thought I’d get something to help boost my immune system. Golden seal has been around for quite sometime and was mainly used by Native Americans  for a variety of health uses.

Here are some benefits to Golden Seal:

Treats all types for skin ailments from acne, eczema psoriasis and rashes.

Golden Seal helps boost the immune system and helps ease sinus issues.

Golden Seal is antimicrobial and treats a variety Of infections such as yeast infections, Sore throats, fungus.

Also known for being a natural antibiotic, golden seal is efficient is dealing with bacteria.

Golden Seal is also known to help treat diabetes.

There are not many side effects other than nausea and diarrhea can occur if taken excessively. I started of with one tablet daily for one week, then fell off the next week and have been on and off every other week. Soon as fall gets here I will get another bottle along with echinacea to help strengthen my immune system and curb my sinuses from acting up.