Guest guest Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 Herbal Smoking Mixtures by Howie Brounstein -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©1995HB This file may be reprinted and distributed freely as long as it remains unchanged and with this header attached. Text versions of this work are available for downloading from this site or at Sunsite or its mirrors. Hard copies are available for purchase. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medicinal Uses Herbs for Calming Calming herbs are antispasmodic for muscle cramps, sore muscles, menstrual cramps, hiccups, spasms, tight muscles, etc. They are also used for their psychological effects. They are good for anger, fear, pain, anxiety, circular thoughts that go round and round in your head that you can't get rid of, relaxing after a hard day, blues, melancholy, irritability, too much coffee or other stimulants, and circular thoughts that keep coming back to you. Calming herbs are very good for quitting Marijuana smoking. Many people smoke Marijuana because they want to unwind after work. The constant hustle- bustle of modern life only leaves us a few hours in the evening to relax. Many people are too wound up from work. The only socially acceptable drugs available are alcohol and pharmaceutical tranquilizers that wreak havoc on our bodies, thus the evening Marijuana smoker. Unfortunately, Marijuana has effects other than just relaxing. Many people become cloudy, paranoid, or shaky from blood sugar imbalances, but it is the only drug they know to take. These people can be helped greatly by calming herbs. These herbs will relax you without clouding your judgment. You will feel them. They are as strong as Marijuana but with a different effect. It causes a calm clear feeling that will not interfere with the rest of your evening's thoughts. It will relax you and stop the rehashing of the days constant traumas so that you can fall asleep naturally, if you're tired. I find many people try these herbs for this reason and wake up in front of the TV set after smoking these plants. It didn't knock them out. They were just so tired they needed the sleep. Sometimes people smoke these plants and don't feel anything. You may have to take notice of it consciously. However, if you are irritable and about to fight with your partner, you will find the effects pronounced. Other smokable calming herbs worth an honorable mention include Passionflower, Passiflora sp., and Hops, Humulus sp. Skullcap, Scutellaria sp. Skullcap is a very good calming herb to smoke. I find that the commercially available Scutellaria lateriflora is not very strong as a smoke. Almost all commercially available Skullcap is too dry and stemmy to make a good smoke. The Scutellaria galericulata the more common plant found growing wild in the United States is much stronger. It is roughly equivalent in strength to good Marijuana leaf or bud shake. It works in almost all cases. The nice green leaf is easy to roll and blends well with many smoking mixtures. It is one of my standard smoking ingredients. I have found through blatant experimentation that the desert species of Skullcap, Scutellaria nana, is exceptionally strong. We affectionately call it Mad Dog Desert Skullcap. Mad Dog Weed is another common name for Skullcap as this plant was used to treat rabies in the past. Found throughout the Great Basin the small, nearly invisible plant is as strong as the highest quality Marijuana. Unfortunately, it will cloud your head and make you tired unlike most of the other herbs we use. If you live in a desert area you should definitely try your local little Skullcap. This herb is so strong I urge mixing it with other herbs. Elephant's Head, Parrot's Beak, and Indian Warrior, Pedicularis sp. All of the Pedicularis' are tranquilizers and muscle relaxants. They are of varying strengths with Elephant's Head, Pedicularis groenlandica, being the mildest. The most outstanding thing about Pedicularis' are their flavor. They are the best tasting herbs for smoking I have found. Some are so strong that they rival Mad Dog Desert Skullcap. Many of them form unusual looking groups of flowers that dry into illegal looking buds. Indeed, Elephant's Head dries to beautiful red or purple buds with what appears to be red hairs. Cobrahead, Pedicularis bracteosa, dries into green buds that could easily confuse a local peace officer. The effects however are profoundly different. A student of mine went by herself to collect some Elephant's Head for her smoking mixture. While she picked, she kept munching on the heads. The next thing she knew, she was waking up from a nap and the sun was going down. It is a fine herb indeed. There is very little reference to these plants in the herbal literature except for 's Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West. I did find a few other references like the natives in Tibet using their Pedicularis for upset stomachs and kidney problems. Still as I wander through the high mountain meadows enjoying the wonderful gifts of the earth, I find it very hard to believe that the Native Americans in my area did not use this plant. A number of years back I had a student whose uncle was very woods wise. After a number of classes he visited his uncle. The uncle was impressed with his knowledge, and with a wry grin asked, " But have you tried the Pedicularis yet? " I wondered how the uncle knew about these plants. I found out that he learned of Pedicularis from a Native American friend whose tribe smoked it. There are many uses of plants that have not been recorded even now. These plants are a welcome addition to any smoking mixture both as flavor and a medicine. Elephant's Head has the best flavor but is the mildest, but every Pedicularis I have tasted has been an excellent smoke. Herbal Smoking Mixtures by Howie Brounstein -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©1995HB This file may be reprinted and distributed freely as long as it remains unchanged and with this header attached. Text versions of this work are available for downloading from this site or at Sunsite or its mirrors. Hard copies are available for purchase. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flavorings Sometimes an herbal smoking mixture can be quite bland, or the smoker may like menthol cigarettes. The herbs in this section are good for flavoring. Most are aromatic or good smelling herbs with no system wide effect when smoked. If you were to smoke these herbs alone full strength, they wouldn't taste good. They may even be irritating this way. Only add a little to the mixture and taste it. Experiment to find your own special flavor and strength. Go light handed at first. Feel free to go further in experimenting with flavors. Any smelly edible plant might be useful as a flavoring. Look in your spice and tea rack for possibilities like lemon grass, etc. Mints, Mentha sp. Mints are probably the most accessible and used flavoring agents for smoking mixtures. They impart a menthol flavor. This includes Spearmint, Peppermint, and all the numerous ornamental varieties such as Apple Mint, etc. Remember to go light so as not to irritate your lungs and throat. Mugwort Herbaceous Artemisia sp. (not shrubs) Mug means glass; Wort means plant. It's the mug plant used for beer in medieval times. It is also used today at country fairs and gatherings by the more esoteric beer makers. It replaces hops in the beer formulas. Mugwort is a very interesting plant deep in historical references. It is often said to promote prophetic dreams. I don't find this to be true all the time. It seems to me that Mugwort intensifies the dreaming process. It all depends on where you are in this process. If you don't dream, Mugwort will help you to dream, but you may not remember them. If you don't remember your dreams Mugwort will help you to remember them. If you remember your dreams, Mugwort will help you to have conscious dreams. Conscious dreams are dreams where you are aware that you are dreaming and in full control of the situation. If you are consciously dreaming already, the plant will increase the frequency and control. None of this implies that the dreams will be pleasant. Some people don't remember their dreams for a reason. Mugwort can cause nightmares and restless dreams leading to lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep. I know of an essential oil company that puts a warning on their Artemisia oil: Caution, may cause nightmares. Certainly, Mugwort can lead to prophetic dreams if that is what you are into. I do not prefer that course of dream work. It is all up to you. One of my long term students feels that Mugwort is the most reality altering of all the psychotropics he's tried. Maybe you will too. These effects are most pronounced with long term exposure to the herb. Dream pillows, fresh bundles allowed to dry by your bed, and smoking over a period of weeks. You may not always experience the subtle effects with one joint. You can smoke Mugwort alone, but it's best to use as a flavoring agent because it is strongly aromatic. Mugwort can also be rubbed into a very good consistency as a carrier for the smoking mixture like Mullein but the flavor can overwhelm the mixture. Internal use of Mugwort has physiological effects on your stomach and female reproductive system but this will not transfer through smoking. Tarragon is a herbaceous Artemisia called Artemisia dranunculus or Dragon Sagewort. Sagebrush, shrubby Artemisia sp. Sagebrush is a shrub found growing throughout the desert western United States. It is in the Sunflower family and is not related in any way to the Salvia Sage used in cooking. It has been traditionally used to purify the environment. It is indeed an anti- bacterial for airborne bacteria. Often found in Sage sticks, and in stores labeled as Sage, it can be used as a flavoring for smoking mixtures. Native people used this plant like Salvia if they lived in an area where there was no Salvia. Sage including White, Black, and Hummingbird, Salvia sp. There are many kinds of Salvia Sages. Some are good to smoke as flavors including the white, black, purple and garden Sages. Some are not so pleasant but worth a try. Some of these Sages were used by Native Americans for purification rituals. They are in the mint family and are not related to Artemisia Sagebrush or Mugwort. These are also found in sage sticks. Lemon Balm, officinalis is an herb often escaped from gardens and easy to find in the Pacific Northwest growing wild in cities. It is a very mild and friendly calming herb that will add a peaceful lemony flavor to any blend. Yerba Buena , Satureja douglasii Yerba Buena is a good herb for flavoring that grows in the coastal west. It should not be confused with peppermint, which is also sometimes called Yerba Buena. It has a menthol flavor that should satisfy those people who like " Kools. " , sp. has many physiological effects when taken internally. When smoked as a flavoring in small amounts, it should have no system wide effects. You can use the root, dried and powdered and thoroughly mixed with the rest of the blend. Feel free to experiment with the leaves and green seeds for different flavor and strengths. Osha, Oshala, Lovage , Ligusticum sp. Ligusticums are yet another very special herb that the Native Americans deemed powerful and sacred. Ligusticum porteri, Osha, is called Peyote's little sister. All native Ligusticums were held in high regard by the local Natives. As a smoke it is only a flavor. You can use the root, dried and powered, but I find that the root hairs, not usually used for their medicinal effects, to be the best for flavor. Clove A common kitchen spice used with a light hand. Use the powder. Clove cigarettes with Tobacco were very popular for a while. Clove can be very irritating to the esophagus and lungs. This, together with the exceptionally strong Tobacco found in these imported cigarettes, quickly caused lung and esophageal problems. I have known many singers who have lost their voices in a few weeks of clove cigarette smoking. So feel free to use it, but respect it. Lavender Use the flowers and rub them if you wish. I love the smell of lavender but I hate the taste of smoked dried lavender. Perhaps you will love it, feel free to check it out. Sweet Cicely, Osmorhiza sp. This is another local Pacific Northwest plant with a pleasant aromatic anise flavor. You can use the root dried, powdered if it smells good. Seeds are also useful. Ginger Use dried powder, thoroughly mixed with a light hand. Licorice Use dried powder, thoroughly mixed with a light hand. Anise For those who like the licorice flavor, try these seeds. Further Experimentation This area of herbalism is still very unexplored. If you want to experiment further with herbs not mentioned here, check out innocuous edible leafy herbs like Violets, Viola sp., Self-Heal, Prunella vulgaris, Waterleaf, Hydrophyllum sp., and Paintbrush, Castilleja sp., to name a few. You may wish to explore plants with names like Indian Tobacco, but be cautious. This common name refers to many plants. Some are not good to smoke. Some were not smoked by Native Americans at all. Yellow Dock is called Indian Tobacco because the old flowers look somewhat like Tobacco in some people's eyes. Homepage - Apprenticeships - Workshops - Catalog - Plant Lists Recipes Standard Smoking Mix Rubbed Mullein leaf as a base Kinnikinnik leaf, for body, finely broken Optionally Manzanita leaf and Pipsissewa for added body Optional flavoring herbs to taste Another Favorite Mix Rubbed Mullein leaf as a base Willow Bark, finely cut for body Skullcap Leaf, for calming effects Osha Root, finely ground for flavor Mix thoroughly. Mildly relaxing To Quit Smoking Phase 1 Rubbed Mullein leaf as a base Kinnikinnik leaf, for body, finely broken Manzanita leaf, for added body, finely broken Skullcap Leaf, for vitally needed calming effect Lobelia, as needed for lobeline Mint, small amounts for menthol cigarette smokers Phase 2 Stop adding Lobelia Add Coltsfoot, as needed, not so strong as to cause coughing fits Increase the Mullein Leaf Continue to add more Mullein until Phase 3, Mullein alone. Expectorant Blend Rubbed Mullein leaf as a base Coltsfoot, not so strong as to cause coughing fits Horehound, not so strong as to cause coughing fits Flavorings optional This blend is excellent for a general lung cleanse or chest cold, but do not use when coughing up blood, or if it hurts when you breathe. Mellow Mixture Skullcap Parrot's Beak Elephants Head to taste Relaxing, mild and pleasant alternative to Marijuana Strong Relax Desert Skullcap Lobelia - a pinch This can make you sleepy so do not drive any bulldozers or jumbo jets when smoking. Too Stoned Blend Rubbed Mullein Leaf as a base Calamus Root, small pieces or powder Elephant's Head Buds, for calming effect and flavor Coltsfoot, not so strong as to cause coughing fits This mixture is smoked as an aid to quit a long term Marijuana habit. Too Expensive Blend 1/2 High Quality Cannabis buds 1/4 Elephant's Head Buds 1/4 Skullcap Leaf This blend will help with the rising costs of Cannabis. You can substitute the Cannabis buds with any quality Cannabis, and the other herbs will help to stretch it out without diluting its effect. Ceremonial Smoke Rubbed Mullein leaf as a base Fermented Scotch Broom Flowers Desert Skullcap, just a small amount Skullcap Leaf Elephant's Head Leaf Parrot's Beak Leaf Osha Root, powdered for flavor Not an everyday smoke, for vision quests and spiritual pursuits. Use consciously. Spiritual freedom is my birthright. I am a free thinker. I am able to rise above mental prejudices and stereotypes of others. I am a free thinker. Nobody and nothing can manipulate me or deceive me. I am a free thinker. I freely choose truth and love. Today, I embrace a greater degree of spiritual freedom. ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search. http://tools.search./newsearch/category.php?category=shopping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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