Traditional Western Herbal Medicine

As Above So Below

Aeon Books Ltd

Contents

Fire

Fire meditation

Imagine you are sitting in front of a candle flame, you feel safe and warm. Allow your gaze to rest on the flame. Watch it as it bends and sways with the breeze. Feel the warmth on your face. Watch the light shimmer around it. Then slowly, gently, allow yourself to merge with the flame. It will not burn you but gently envelop you with warmth and light. Be aware of your physical body. How does it feel to be surrounded by fire? Take a moment to sense the flames as they enclose you and notice any changes in your heart or your skin or other organs of the body. Then allow the fire to pass through your whole body. Feel yourself enveloped by warm, healing fire. How does this make you feel emotionally? Register and remember any feelings it brings up and then let them go. Be aware of any images or memories which come up. Notice them and let them go. Then notice how fire affects your mind and your thoughts. How does your mind react in the presence of fire? Take a moment to let the thoughts run by you without judgement or questions. Slowly separate yourself from the flame and return to watching the candle. Gently come back into the room.

The most favoured current theory of how our world began centres around the Big Bang theory. The Big Bang Theory states, using mathematical models, that 13.8 billion years ago a "small singularity" expanded. A second after this expansion the surrounding heat was 5.5 billion Celsius. After this expansion the universe cooled sufficiently to form sub-atomic particles and later atoms. Giant clouds of these primordial elements coalesced through gravity in haloes of dark matter and eventually formed the stars and galaxies. Most of the atoms formed by the Big Bang were hydrogen and helium and some lithium. Whereas simple atomic nuclei formed within three minutes of the big bang, thousands of years passed before the first electrically neutral atoms were formed.

The Big Bang was not an explosion in space, but an explosion of space. The Big Bang Theory does not describe the origin of the universe, because energy, time and space existed before the Big Bang. Neither does the Big Bang Theory account for the cause of the density and high temperature of the initial state of the universe. It does explain how life as we understand it began; after the initial episode, the heavier elements were synthesised within stars or supernovae. We then, are stardust.

To recap: before the Big Bang there was order of a kind, as energy, time and space already existed. For some reason there was a "conflict moment" (O' Donohue, 2010, p. 93) and then an explosion. This image of massive heat and transformation encapsulates the essence of fire. Empedocles writing in the fifth century BCE postulated that a spinning mass of fire flew off from the sun, cooled, and formed the earth. The steamy atmosphere of the earth then cooled and separated into gases or air and the shallow oceans (Gullan-Whur, 1987, p. 20). As the universe cooled, atoms and the elements were formed, and after time physical matter developed.

Keywords for fire: it initiates, explodes and heats. It has the qualities of action, energy, and power. Fire leads, explores, is fearless, assertive, and dynamic. Heat scorches, burns, melts, radiates, invigorates, shines, spotlights and sends out sparks, brings life to matter.

Physical fire: is expressed as burns, fevers, inflammation, drying, overheating, restlessness, burn-out, irritation, angry wounds, boils, rashes, and eruptions.

Fire psychology: is self-willed, self-actualising, selfish, hasty, aggressive and passionate. Fire is intuitive; it picks up ideas and acts on them. Fire is visionary, it is the genius which interrupts and disrupts. Fire does not obey reason (Air), consider practical results (Earth), or respond to feelings (Water), but follows hunches pursuing its desire (Gullan-Whur, 1987, p. 23).

Fire emotionally: represents experience centred in personal identity (Arroyo, 1978, p. 95). Fire gives a strong self-belief, a measure of impersonality, enthusiasm, energy, self-centredness and a desire for freedom. Fire is joyful and warmhearted. Fire can direct its will consciously.

Negative fire: shows as egomania, cruelty, bullying, selfishness, rashness, intolerance, impatience, restlessness.

Weak fire: is expressed as low energy and a tendency towards depression and despondency. Weak fire is experienced as a lack of joy and distrust of life because of pessimism, and a lack of self-confidence. Weak fire has difficulty in beginning anything, lacks the creative spark to initiate and find the energy for action. It is expressed as conservatism, meanness, sadness, negativity, and fearfulness.

Spiritually: Fire is also spirit, the cosmic fire, the divine spark. Fire is said to rule the etheric or vital body which transforms the elements of Air and Water to support the functions of the physical body. In Greek philosophy, Fire and Air actively and consciously form life by rising and expanding and are Apollonian, or the rational, ordered, and disciplined aspects of human nature (Arroyo, 1978, p. 93).

Social fire: O'Donohue talks about the hearth, where traditionally people gathered, where spirit was focused, refined and preserved (O'Donohue, 2010, p. 111). Today we might think of the campfire or the kitchen table, where people meet and exchange their news and where experiences are shared. Traditionally, the hearth was where tales of the past were told, the teachings of the clans were passed on, or "the fecundity of the past in conversation with the possibility of the future" (O'Donohue, 2010, p. 113). Paracelsus gave salamanders to the fire element; those magical beings that sometimes we glimpse in the heart of the flames. According to Paracelsus, salamanders are controlled by cultivating contentment and placidity, in other words, the opposite from Fire, Earth. Today the ersatz fire of the flat screen provides a sterile focal point where the tales of others, cynically constructed, imprint upon us a bogus, empty, monoculture.

A real fire excites and warms the heart as matter is transformed into smoke and ash, but Fire is also deadly. Fear of fire was used to control; the exquisite pain of a small burn, extrapolated out into the perpetual burning of hellfire, the burning alive of witches and heretics, used as a means of control and torture (O'Donohue, 2010, p. 120).

Choleric temperament

From the element comes the humour, and from the humour the temperament. Ancient authors recognised that in the same way there are four elements, there are four basic personality types. Choleric is the type for fire.

Physical characteristics

Choler, ruled by fire, is hot and dry; it makes the body lean and muscled. These are the classic athletes who have a well-developed physical body, high energy, low patience, who dislike sitting down, they will pace a room like a caged animal, finding silence and stillness almost unbearable. They will often be hot to the touch; sometimes their skin feels almost like it is burning. Heat and dryness evaporate fluid, so the pure choleric type will be lean, with no soft edges, but not bony (that is the domain of the melancholic); instead they will be sinewy, mobile, speedy. Think dancers, athletes, soldiers, cyclists, swimmers, manual workers, outdoor workers. Their lack of patience makes them more likely to be self-employed, so they can move at their own pace, and not answer to other people.

Emotional characteristics

Impatience is a key factor, sometimes expressed as frustration, sometimes as anger. Fire slices through; a pure choleric type will be brutal, cutting, dismissive of mere emotional sensitivities, they will simply not understand them, because they do not care to ruminate on their own feelings. They are people of action. They need excitement, noise, colour, change. Change, especially, is important for fire types; boredom, routine, predictability, are depressing. Fire grasps ideas and concepts from nowhere and dashes to put their vision out into the world. They are visionary, often before their time, people who scatter seeds as they pass through. Fire is not interested in nurture; that is a job for Earth. Fire's impatience impels them to ever move forwards to the new, the exciting, the innovative. If they are frustrated, choler becomes angry, and life frustrates them most of the time. Often spoiling for a fight, cholerics raise their voices or their fists, slam doors, and walk out without a backward glance. Conversely, Fire is warm and friendly; it has, at heart, good intention. Other, colder types can bask in their heat and humour and vision and optimism and hitch a ride on their energy. For Fire is nothing if not generous. Come one, come all, the choleric says, but don't hold me back, don't weigh me down, don't drown out my spark. You are with me, great, but don't tell me your fears, don't point out drawbacks, or possible hitches, because I will shake you off like a flea. I am motion, I am energy, I am life force, I am freedom. Selfish, opinionated, brusque and competitive, Fire has high expectations of themselves and others and hates slackers and apathy. The choleric is self-starting and loves a challenge, happy to share as long as they are in charge. Egoistic choleric will not tolerate competition, nor their authority being questioned; they can be ruthless and violent if crossed. They lack subtlety and can be infuriatingly dogmatic and bullying. Simplistic in their analysis they do not see or care about nuances and so can blunder into situations, pouring petrol on a fire.

In health

The choleric is strong and resilient. They enjoy high energy and are adaptable, open, and exuberant. Cholerics have a strong physical body and high stamina. They can withstand extremes of hunger and tiredness. Because their minds are untroubled by subtleties they can also withstand great mental and emotional pressure by focusing on their goal. However, because energy is finite, cholerics can over-extend themselves and burn out. Their Fire is doused by Water (emotions), smothered by Earth (matter), and blown out by Air (thoughts).

In sickness

Heat naturally causes fevers, burns up fluids, dries out tissue, inflames, irritates and excites. It causes acute, burning pains. Sharp, stabbing, cutting, radiating, chafing, stinging, rubbing, inflaming, itching are all descriptions of the symptoms of Fire and heat. Fire sicknesses are characterised by sudden onset, restlessness, anger, and irritation. Classic choleric illness includes: sudden heart attack, stroke, stomach ulcers, migraine. They are more prone to accidents due to their aggression and speed of movement.

Regimen for choleric

Cooling down and calming down are watch-words for choleric types, not that they will listen. Being headstrong is a character trait of theirs; they feel they are invulnerable and immortal, so sickness falls heavily when it eventually arrives. Easily extinguished, Fire for all its strength and energy is vulnerable. They hate weakness, dependency, receiving help, and will push on far further than other temperaments who are in touch with their own vulnerabilities and limitations. The classic choleric drops dead of a heart attack because they will not slow down or moderate their punishing pace. They do not grow old easily; loss of autonomy is terrifying to them. They often overdo physical exercise, so punishing fitness regimes should be enquired about, as well as sometimes an unhealthy appetite for fast food and red meat and fire-water (alcoholic spirits). They will always need a challenge, so encourage them to aim for goals and milestones in their treatment plan. Suggest mentoring others, so that they feel potent and useful. Sunshine is healing to cholerics; it recharges their batteries and allows their tense bodies to relax a little. Suggest they develop the habit of drinking a lot of water to flush out the system and cool them down.

Culpeper on the choleric temperament

[...] they are naturally quick witted, bold, no way shame-fac'd, furious, hasty, quarrelsom, fraudulent, eloqent, corragious, stouthearted Creatures, not given to sleep much, but much given to jesting, mocking, and lying. (Culpeper, 1652, p. 54.)

Diet and exercise fitting

A Chollerick man is oftner hurt by much fasting and much drinking than by much eating, for much fasting weakens Nature in such people, and fills the Body full of Chollerick Humors, and breedeth adust Humors, let such eat meats hard of Digestion, as Beef, Pork, & c. and leave Danties for weaker Stomachs. Moderate drinking of small Beer doth him good, for it cools the fiery heat of his Nature, moistneth the Body which is dryed by the heat of his Complexion, and relieves radical moisture, but let a man of such a Complexion fly from Wine and strong Beer as fast as he would fly from a Dragon, for they inflame the Liver, and breed burning and hectick Feavers, Choller and hot Dropsies, and bring a man to his Grave in the prime of his Age.

Much Exercise is likewise bad for Chollerick People and breeds Inslamation and adustion of Blood, the yellow Jaundice, Consumptions, Feavers, Costiveness and Agues. (Culpeper, 1652, p. 54.)

Culpeper on signs of choler abounding2

It shows leanness of body, costiveness [constipation], hollow eyes, anger without cause, testy disposition, yellowness of skin, bitterness of the throat, pricking pain in the head, pulse swifter and stronger than ordinary, urine high coloured and thinner and brighter, troublesome sleeps, dreams of fire, anger, lightning and fighting. (Culpeper, 1653, p. 88.)

The Fire signs

Any of the planets above have their essential nature coloured by the sign they are in. There are three Fire signs: Aries, ruled by Mars, Leo ruled by the Sun, and Sagittarius ruled by Jupiter. Aries is cardinal and is action-orientated; Leo is fixed and is concerned with maintenance; and Sagittarius is mutable and is adaptable. A Mars in Aries is different from a Mars in Leo or a Mars in Sagittarius. Mars in Aries will be really dynamic (Mars plus cardinal); Mars in Leo will be more glorious (think a brilliant energy on display, fixed, not moving so much); while a Mars in Sagittarius will be hyper-sociable, a traveller through time, space and people (Mars plus mutable-expansive).

Aries

Nature

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and has the child-like energy of beginnings. The season of Aries is Spring when new shoots are bursting forth and there is an unsophisticated, raw energy and enthusiasm. Aries as the first sign often goes alone, gets there before anyone else, and then speeds off before anyone can catch up. Prone to boredom ("why can't they catch up?"), impatience ("why is everyone so slow?"), and aggression ("I'll do it my way"). They are naive and do not bother to think things through but are focused on action. They have tremendous energy and infectious enthusiasm.

Famous Aries

Vincent Van Gough, Casanova, Joan Crawford.

Rulerships

Aries is cardinal Fire, a masculine sign, and rules the Spring and youth.

Dignity and debility

Mars rules Aries, the Sun is exalted in Aries, Saturn is in fall in Aries (weak) and, Venus is in detriment (weak). (See Appendix 2 for a table of dignities and debilities.)

Physical

Aries shows a muscular, smallish body that is hot and dry. Aries rules the head; migraine is a Mars condition related to stress or tension causing a crippling pain which stops the person in their tracks. Aries also shows accidents, head wounds from rash actions and fighting.

Emotional

Aries will show as impatience, irritation and anger, either expressed, or not expressed and experienced as depression. There is an arrogance with Aries which often masks insecurity and a need to be liked. They are often solitaries and may be lonely. They have an endearing naivety, which if abused can turn to bitterness or depression. They are enthusiastic, but if their ebullience is crushed they can become cynical and aggressive. Aries are loyal and generous and want to believe the best about people, and for this reason they can be easily conned.

Mental

Aries is not prone to thinking ahead, but they are quick on their feet and full of ideas, expressing the intuitive function. They are prone to depression as they are optimists and life can be disappointing. Fire, especially with regard to Aries, has energy, but not resilience; if knocked down then getting back up becomes harder with age, and so they may retreat into their own little world. Routine and boredom can cause them to lash out or make reckless decisions.

Illnesses

Headache, concussion, migraine, wounds, accidents to head or face, hot fevers, burns, acne and boils. Exhaustion and burnout, both physically and mentally.

This book is intended to be a users' manual, not a reference book, and so has charts, diagrams, tables and cross-references to enable the interested practitioner to incorporate the Western Herbal Tradition into their practice. It synthesises and elaborates on all the extant information on the Western Healing Tradition as recorded by William Lilly and Nicholas Culpeper in the 17Cth and from the author's own herbal practice. It shows how using planetary energies and the wheel of the year deepens our understanding of the action of medicinal plants on the body and establishes the practitioner within their environment, allowing them to use planetary energies to determine the peak times to harvest and use herbal remedies and to locate health and sickness within the holistic paradigm of Western Traditional Herbal Medicine.For ease of use, the book is divided into two sections. The first details the philosophical framework within which traditional western herbalists can operate; looking at the four humours, and seven planets and the use of the diagnostic tool of the decumbiture chart. The work is so organised that the humoral system can be used without astrology, should that be the preference. The second part covers the practical application of the philosophy, how to collect, make and administer herbal remedies according to the planetary days and hours and the decumbiture chart. Examples of decumbiture charts will be included to show how the philosophy is used in practice. Lastly, a materia medica of common herbs is included. This fascinating new title by the best-selling Elisabeth Brooke will be of interest to anyone involved in the theory or practice of herbal medicine, particularly those who have been inspired by her other classic works including A Woman's Book of Herbs and Herbal Therapy for Women.

Elisabeth Brooke qualified as a Medical Herbalist with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists in 1980. She has a private practice in London and teaches and lectures worldwide. She teaches workshops all over the world, teaching subjects such as herbalism and astrology. She is a guest tutor at Heartwood School of Herbal Medicine and has also tutored in Medical Astrology for the Company and produced articles for their Magazine. Elisabeth has a BA (Hons,) in Classical Studies and is studying for a MA, looking a Greek creation myths.