Wild Herb Ways. Vitaliste bioregiónal. Healing biospirit. Magical Realism. Fiction author Paul Manski. SW on Turtle Island. Ocotillo, juniper to pine bioregion.
Wild Herb Ways. Vitaliste bioregiónal. Healing biospirit. Magical Realism. Fiction author Paul Manski. SW on Turtle Island. Ocotillo, juniper to pine bioregion.
Annual herb with tap root, stems erect pinkish red, 25 cm, 12 inches tall, minutely hairy, lower leaves egg-spoon shaped, upper leaves opposite, oblong linear lanceolate about 1 inch long.
Collinsia parviflora
The flowers are penstemon like, opening to a terminal spike like raceme cluster, two upper lobes are white, with 3 lower lobes bright blue to purple.
Collinsia parviflora
Collinsia parviflora has a wide range throughout North America through Cascadia south to Arizona and New Mexico. Like many penstemon tribe it has a soothing demulcent, cooling quality to skin and mucous membranes. Here it was growing at 3500 ft in flower in full sun, in a wet boggy meadow Stevens county, Washington.
Dogen: Wotan Freyja are Walking Mountains and Creeks of Flowing Water
(Part 1: Walking Mountains, Creeks of Flowing Water - Paul Manski)
Kinnikinnick
"Late May Cascadia
kinnikinnick, violets, blooming
waxing crescent moon
in sidereal Taurus as evening star
conjunction sun and aldebaran
at sunset rain turned to sleety snow
along smackout creek
walking mountains
creeks of flowing water
yarrow and northern poleo waking up now"
(Opening by Paul Manski)
Walking Mountains
Mountains and creeks of flowing water right now are the essential things of ancient mountains. Climb the tree yourself to gain the runes, offer blot for our people. They are precious things of the everlasting hills. Each, mountain and creek, is itself complete. We should not be afraid to question, who like an old woman laughs within herself, saying, 'After I am waxed old beyond child birth shall I have pleasure, and expect to drop a child? My husband being old also?', many things are possible with creeks and mountains.
Because mountains and creeks have been created since before the time myth of our people, the blushing red person. Who can blush? Who can smile and walk? They are alive like us, at this moment. These mountains have been perfectly made since before the earth was without form. As such they are redeemed, fertile mountain and creek persons. A mountain or creek does not become less a mountain or creek or change in any way, because we fail to see the mountain or creeks walking. They exist beyond our seeingness like understanding flowing water, drinking, bathing in living flowing water. Offering blot is bathing in ice cold water, like climbing the tree, like walking mountains and streams of living water.
It was the same with Dogen’s seeing in Sutra of Mountains and waters. Because mountains are high and creeks are low. Mountains and creeks are gathering places and pathways, for the vital spark, so they are exalted. The vital spark in clouds over walking mountains is the all mother and all father cavorting in the heavenly meadow their love falling like rain in springtime. In the same way the 14 meridians of our body flow, so do mountain meridians, canyons and river valley and creeks flow with alder, poleo, sarsaparilla, yarrow, and black cottonwood, with sticky buds and sweet, spicy, bitter balsam leaf. The creek you see lined with black cottonwood, spicy and sticky to the touch, is the same creek flowing in your arms and wrist, in the micro cosmic orbit making flexible your sinews, blood of your blood, bone of your bone and stone of this stone. https://youtube.com/shorts/cHMe0VKxKVA?feature=share
This way mountains commanded by clouds from above, and the opened doors of heaven is always reached in mountains following the path of the rainbow end to end; Just as northern poleo Mentha Canadensis is true to type and does not adulerate or mix pollen so mountain and creeks remain true to type, giving birth to mountains and creeks by the seed covenant, kind after kind. The acorn does not mix or fruit with cherry and the cherry bark is sweet fragrant and is not bitter like like astringent oak bark. By the inconceivable power of his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down dew. This dew nourishes all within the mountains. We see mountains walking in this way. It shouldn't be surprising if suddenly there comes a sound from heaven freely from the mountains as of a rushing mighty wind, and it fills all freely residing in within the mountains and creeks. Or if like clouds we have pleasure in knowing walking mountains and creeks of flowing water. For the pleasure of knowing and respect and loyalty to our Folk First! people is within your family, inherent in creation.
We know in the fourth watch of the night Wotan hanging on the tree, went unto them, walking on the sea. The limits of created things like water are fluid like our hearts in knowingness. Didn't the children walk upon dry land in the midst of the sea;? with their long boats led by Lief Erikson coming to Turtle Island, and weren't the waters walls unto them on their right hand, and on their left?
So the mountains and creeks of flowing water are like walls on our left and right, pathways flowing, cleared. Within our heart and body there is this same flowingness, The same breath Wotan all-father with all-mother Freyja, breathed into the us of we creating, the blushing person, is still the breath that animates mountains and creeks of flowing water. Many insights are had in these pristine mountains and creeks of flowing water. So too, the range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing therein. Because he searcheth he knows the inner essential quality of every green thing and makes it known to us. What we are knowing is this essential searching. These stone mountains you see in front of your face are always walking; Take a stone, and set it up for a pillar for a boundary being for your people, blood of blood and bone of bone, stone of stone. So you will find stones and pillars in these mountains all around you. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be our house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the all loyalty and bravery unto thee, the us of we as a people. So when we enter the mountains and creeks of flowing water we enter the house of our people on Turtle Island, the same as our own house with ears, eyes, fingers, tongue and toes. This is the house of walking mountains and flowing creeks. Walking Mountains with abundance gave a white stone rune, and in the rune stone a new name written. The name is the rune understanding behind words. You should be alert for pillars, stones and the name he has written for you while in the province of mountains and flowing creeks.
Mountains do not lack the nature all-father Wotan and all-mother Freyja together has given mountains. They are in and of in themselves. Mountains and creeks of flowing water are predestined to encounter those entering. The nature he has given mountains and flowing creeks of water is not lost or gained, neither is your own as it is in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of natural law, the Creator and Creatoress, who worketh all things after the counsel of that natural law governing our people and all things. So we are worked by his counsel informing us all the goings on in creeks and mountain. In that way we enter easily. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Wotan Odin that giveth to men liberally who struggle, and upbraideth not the fatherless or motherless building up our people with generosity those loyal to our tribe; and it shall be given to those who sacrifice and struggle for our people. Therefore it is said, I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever. The house built to dwell in, is here as mountains and creeks. This house is the eco-logy, the earth self study house, of us as tribe and people among walking mountains and streams of living water, one eyed single purpose for wellbeing as above so below, as outside seen as inside cultivated achieved.
You should examine in detail this quality of walking on water, or a blind man, when he looked up, and said, ‘I see men as trees, walking.’ Mountains' walking is like human walking, because all things are moving. The Spirit of life moved upon the face of the waters. Accordingly, it makes no sense to doubt mountains' walking even though it does not look the same as human walking. Wotan all-father sendest forth His spirit, we are created: and thou by working together renewest the face of the earth on Turtle Island belonging to us, we as a people. The ancestor Wotan Odin blood of blood, bone of bone, stone of stone words point to breathing walking, which is movement. We say yes to this movement, of fire in stone, For by us, we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also Wotan's all-father offspring. As his offspring are likewise mountains and flowing creeks of water unified in the all-mother Freyja. This is natural law understanding. You should break open these words within mountains and creeks of flowing water and understand their movements are our own and understand accordingly.
May 22, 2020 waxing crescent moon, setting at sunset as an evening star in conjunction with the sun and Aldebaran in sidereal Taurus. (Part 1: Wotan Freyja Walking Mountains, Creeks of Flowing Water - Paul Manski)
References:
Dōgen, Eihei. Moon in a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dogen. Edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi, North Point Press, 1995.
Shimano, Eido Tai. Personal notes on teishoanddokusan. 1984. (Dai Bosatsu Zendo Fall Kessei and winter retreat,rakusa in ketsanaku kechimyaku transmission )
Cascadia alum root, roundleaf alumroot, poker heuchera, Family: Saxifragaceae. Occurs east of the Cascades, north to BC and south into Cali.
Heuchera cylindrica
A clump forming perennial, it's basal leaves are leathery, slightly hairy, round to oval shaped with toothed and scalloped margins, with more or less 5 lobes. The flower rises up about 24 inches, on a thin stock with a cluster of pale yellow creamy white buddy blossoms at the very tip.
Roundleaf alum root likes rocky, talus slopes, sheltered from the wind in the cleft of rocks.
Heuchera cylindrica
The alum roots, Heuchera tribe are known for their pink color and high astringent tannins. As a high astringent root plant, it's at the upper end of internal use, nonetheless, like oak bark, it tightens tissue, internally can be used stop diarrhea.
Heuchera cylindrica
Externally a hemostatic, it stops bleeding and a liquid tea when cooled can be mixed with 1 teaspoon salt to 1 quart water for an isotonic wound wash, a gargle for sore throat and similar to white ratany of the southwest can be used as an ingredient in a mouth rinse for inflamed gums and gingivitis.
Heuchera cylindrica
A poultice of the mashed crushed roots can be used to quiet the itchiness of bug and mosquitoe bites or skin rashes. The root can be while fresh, cut into very thin slices, then cut and diced, into the smallest pieces possible, then dried, then with mortar and pestle, or small coffee grinder, ground into a powder for future use. The roots, if left whole become rock hard and unusable. The powdered root can either be applied directly to skin, mixed with water to make a paste, for sun burn, itchy bug bites, or contact dermatitis like poison ivy.
Similar to its namesake, it has mordant qualities so that a fiber is boiled first with alum root before being dipped, to set the color of fabric.
Heart leaf arnica, Arnica cordifolia, Asteracea family, heart-leaf leopardbane. Arnica grows widely in Cascadia and in the western US, middle to high elevation, with ray disc flowers, ours here is always a single flower with the opposite leaves at the base of the flower a distinctive identifying feature, also called twin leaf Arnica.
https://youtu.be/B89EXbGpuks I have seen it thriving in open sun, cedar shaded boggy hide aways, in high alpine meadows,and all in between. In general it is a mountain plant, though highly adaptable.. For our purposes here nearly all the Arnicas have similar medicinal qualities. It frequently hybridizes with other arnicas developing a distinct localism.
New paired Arnica leafs
It can be recognized by the typical Asteracea ray disc flowers, a bright egg yolk, mustard yellow, sunny color. It can found from Arizona, New Mexico northwards into southern Cascadia, through to British Columbia and Alaska. They are the only genus of yellow-rayed composite, with opposite twin leafs at the base of the flower stalk. There is also a distinctive smell when you crush the leaf or flower head. The lowest basal leaves are heart shaped with a deep notch, other arnica’s usually lack these heart shaped notched leaves. Heart leafed arnica is one of the most widespread arnicas.
Independently European and native Americans described the medicinal qualities of arnica in much the same ways. As a kind of topical pain reliever for bruises, sore muscles, acne, sore throats, aching teeth, and interestingly as a kind of love potion, having used it for this purpose, you rub the above ground portion on a would-be, unsuspecting lover you are wishing to woo. The love potion action works although like the sunny yellow arnica flowers, you may lose your wooed lady queen when the snow flies.
As a topical balm, either oil or tincture it is used for tendonitis, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, impact trauma with bruising and soft tissue damage. It also can be used for DOMS, delayed onset muscular soreness common with athletes and weekend warriors.
Visiting a recent young Arnica patch
Applied externally externally it can aid stimulation of white blood cells and facilitate the movement of trapped fluid outward away from the injury site. So in that sense it could be understood as having anti-inflammatory properties.. It acts on different pathways than let’s say NSAIDS. One of the active constituents is helenalin, 11α,13-dihydrohelenalin, chamissonolid, and their ester derivatives.. Helenalin is a sesquiterpene lactone and other compounds in arnica reduce inflammation by inhibiting the transcription factor, nuclear kB(NF-kB) The factor NF-κB controls the transcription of many genes, including cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor α, as well as adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular cellular adhesion molecule 1, and endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1.
Visiting a recent young Arnica patch
The anti-inflammatory and pain relief works also by being a vasodilator of subcutaneous blood capillaries, which can promote transport of blood and fluid to facilitate healing.
Known as shan-jin-che in TCM, traditional Chines medicine, it’s considered salty, sweet and cooling. It can tonify Qi, tonify yin and yang, stop pain and dispel internal phlegm. TCM approaches disease, discomfort and bodily states via actual symptoms displayed rather than a rigid framework that attempts to put the person into a framework. The actual signs and symptoms becomes the framework. In healthy persons yin and yang are in balance. Ilness occurs when there is an inequlity between the forces. When the Qi is flowing interactively it flows through 14 major meridians. When the qi becomes blocked or stagnant, illness manifests with particular symptoms. It is Sweet, salty and cool.
Well known in our herbalism as both an oil and tincture for muscular and deep tissue distress. Arnica has european cousins that informed our resilient ancestral spirit. anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antineuralgic, antirheumatic, antiseptic, counterirritant, without the hotness of cayenne and wound-healing effects.
Generally used on unbroken intact skin for muscular impact trauma with bruising, bruised skin, strains, sprains, aches, pains, sore muscles from overexertion, insect bites, joint pain from rheumatism, and swelling from fractures...think dislocated ankle, tired chronic lower back pain and stiffness, arthritic fingers and such, with soreness, bruising and with or without swelling. Used both with acute injury and chronic osteopathic pain of damaged joints. The Leaves, flowers, and flowerbuds are used although in european tradition the root used, it is unnecessary to use the root as the active principles are present in above ground plant.
The oil is made by partial drying of the flower buds, open flowers and leaf, then lightly adding an ounce or so of alcohol or last years tincture, thoroughly mixing, allowing to dry. You may also use pharmaceutical grade ammonia available at mixed martial art or boxing supply houses in the the same way as alcohol to release and make available active plant constituents to the topical oil medium. Use the oil that works best, avocado, ghee, almond, argan, a neutral cold extracted light cooling oil also works well, if possible use a neutral scented oil, although olive oil works fine and is part of the tradition of Father Yaweh, Yahoshua the Messiah. Leviticus 8:10
“And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.”
Tincturing is FPT 1:2, or dried 1:5.
The same truths and principles that hold true in the Madrean sky islands of the southwest also hold true in Cascadia bioregion, although the low is not as low. Spring and summer change on walking mountains as Eihei Dogen so often stated. The lower indults of Eastern Cascadia at 1200-1500 along the Columbia drainage have an early springun. So that Arnica while known as a midsummer July bloomer, comes early in the shady indults draining into Columbiana.
At full moon in sidereal Virgo, doing Cascadia stuff in the in, the Arnica patch, sitting with the Arnicas, amazing day blooming early, watching A cordifolia getting ready to springun, wild harvesting Smallhead Arnica today Arnica gracilis, Aster family (Asteraceae), Arnica is an amazing topical both oil and tincture. While picking Arnica getting lots of positive warming, hot, peppery deep chi energy from Oplopanax horridus, our amazing Aralia Cascadia bioregional indicator. Telling us we're here, past snowmelt grateful to father Yaweh for this day, watching the moonrise in sidereal Virgo. Psalm 67:2-3 "That Yaweh's way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all Jacob-Israel. 3Let us praise thee, O Elohim; let all Jacob-Israel praise thee." Jacob-Israel praise thee."
and as always...for our people...
Sources: Sugier, D.; Sugier, P.; Jakubowicz-Gil, J.; Winiarczyk, K.; Kowalski, R. Essential Oil from Arnica Montana L. Achenes: Chemical Characteristics and Anticancer Activity. Molecules 2019, 24, 4158.
Svoboda K.P. Svoboda T.G. Syred A.D. (2000) Secretory Structures of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants. Microscopix Publications, Middle Travelly, UK
Pljevljakušić D. Rančić D. Ristić M. Vujisić L. Radanović D. Dajić-Stevanović Z. (2012) Rhizome and root yield of the cultivated Arnica montana L., chemical composition and histochemical localization of essential oil. Ind. Crops Prod.39: 177–189
Krystyna Kromer, Agnieszka Kreitschitz, Thomas Kleinteich, Stanislav N. Gorb, Antoni Szumny, Oil Secretory System in Vegetative Organs of Three Arnica Taxa: Essential Oil Synthesis, Distribution and Accumulation, Plant and Cell Physiology, Volume 57, Issue 5, May 2016, Pages 1020–1037, https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcw040
Michael Moore- Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe 2005
Charles W Kane- Herbal Medicine: Trends and traditions, Lincoln Town Press, 2009
.....heart leaf arnica, Asteracea hear-leaf leopardbane, well known in our herbalism as both an oil and tincture for muscular and deep tissue distress. Arnica has european cousins that informed our resilient ancestral spirit. anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antineuralgic, antirheumatic, antiseptic, counterirritant, without the hotness of cayenne and wound-healing effects.
An original song written composed in Cascadia during the first year of a 5 year year shun, in total silence without human contact, due to my experience, conviction and belief that as Yahweh's Peace Pilgrim, 'We are a people and our wellbeing is non-negotiable.' An original song written in the 1980's composed, recorded after waiting 25 years for a microphone, in Cascadia during the first year of a 5 year, due to my experience and belief as a Pilgrim of Peace with a message of love and hope that, 'We are a people and our wellbeing is non-negotiable.' Praise the name of Yahweh was composed, written, recorded by Paul Manski/Wild Herb Ways, at the, waning gibbous moon in sidereal Sagittarius. By Paul Manski rights reserverd, music, lyrics, recording all music, lyrics, vocals, percussion, bass, electric and acoustic guitars played mixed and recorded by Paul Manski Genius World Teacher, Wild Herb Ways
Praise the name of Yahweh was composed, written, recorded by Paul Manski/Wild Herb Ways, at the, waning gibbous moon in sidereal Sagittarius. By Paul Manski rights reserved, music, lyrics, recording all music, lyrics, vocals, percussion, bass, electric and acoustic guitars played mixed and recorded by Paul Manski Genius World Teacher, Wild Herb Ways. Stand with the green in the Peace Pilgrim way https://pgmanski.blogspot.com/2023/10/i-stand-with-green.html
May, 11, 2020 in Cascadia.
