Medicine In Your Garden – The Miracles of Herb Robert

A sunny weekend at home at our little cottage in the valleys of the Brecon Beacons was a great opportunity to get out into our magical and diverse garden, and reacquaint ourselves with some “old friends.”

Over the course of the last year, since I started my 4 year apprenticeship with Plant Spirit Healer & Herbalist Carole Guyett, I have become much more aware of plants and flowers trying to get my attention. This has helped me not only expand my knowledge as I have gone away and researched those plants, but its also caused me to wonder why they were reaching out to me.

Knock Knock, Who’s There?

Perhaps they are trying to tell me something on a physical level? Maybe I am sick in some way and don’t yet know it? , Or possibly, they are a plant with an emotional or spiritual quality that can be used in a shamanic healing capacity, and want to be part of my plant ally community! Sometimes the reason only becomes more evident down the road and so I am learning to trust them, listen to them. After all, I believe, as many herbalists do, that whatever plants are growing immediately around you are there to help on some level – either individually or possibly collectively.

This year I have been amazed to watch the proliferation of dandelions that have sprung up everywhere, and I know that both of my teachers – Carole Guyett and Pam Montgomery believe that the dandelion is a plant coming forward at this time to help assist humanity its evolution.

We have found in our own practice that Mugwort is another plant coming forward more forcefully again and has many amazing gifts to offer us at this time. So – keep an open heart and mind and listen out for the plants when they call to you!

One particular little common garden plant has been catching my attention over and over these last few months and so this weekend I was able to harvest some of it and indulge in some more research into its qualities.

How May I Help You?

Geranium robertianum or Herb Robert to use its more common name, was once known as Saint Robert’s Herb. It was named after a French monk who lived around 1000 AD, and apparently cured many people suffering from various diseases using this plant. First Nations people have used it internally to help with many ailments and externally for healing wounds, herpes and skin eruptions. According to an article in The Healing Journal, scientists, herbalists, and botanists have discovered that it’s especially abundant in areas that have high radiation levels (which include under hydro lines). It is believed that Herb Robert absorbs the radiation from the soil, breaks it down and disperses it.

How amazing is that?! And, if proven to be effective in this capacity who knows what it might be able to do if introduced into areas suffering from radiation poisoning!

But its amazing qualities don’t stop there!

A Ton of Health Benefits.

In Europe, it has been a traditional herb for cancer, and it was believed to supply a natural dose of radiation. All parts of the plant can be used – the flower, the leaves & the root. Fresh leaves can be eaten or made into a tea. The flower and leaves can be dried and stored so that it can be used throughout the winter months as a tea or added into salads as a nutrient booster. The root can be dried and used as well.

You can also make a tincture from it or a flower essence – I did a few weeks ago.

Rubbing fresh leaves on the skin is said to repel mosquitoes, and the entire plant repels rabbits and deer should you be having problems with either of those in your garden!

Herb Robert contains ellagic acid, which has been found to slow growth of tumours caused by certain carcinogens; and it has been used to fight and prevent cancer. Researchers have found that Herb Robert is a natural source of germanium, a valuable element and powerful antioxidant that has the ability to make oxygen more readily available to the cells of the body.

More oxygen, at a cellular level, means the body has the opportunity to fight disease by its own powers, and healing can take place quickly. But if the cells experience a lack of oxygen, they cannot get the nutrients, to regenerate. Those cells then become anaerobic, the state that leads to pain, disease, wayward cells and cancer.

Dr. Otto Warburg, twice Nobel Prize winner, said in 1966, “The prime cause of cancer is lack of oxygenation of the cells.” He discovered that cancer cells could not exist in the presence of abundant oxygen, but only in an anaerobic state.

Germanium also stimulates electrical impulses at a cellular level to create a beneficial ripple effect, throughout the whole body. It enhances energy levels and is a powerful healing agent. Germanium provides a strong antibiotic, antiviral and antioxidant arsenal which in today’s world of multiple environmental and electrical pollutions can only be a powerful aid to many of us.

Having made a flower essence a few weeks ago it is now waiting to be tested properly and I am curious to learn more about the spirit of this plant and how we can work with it shamanically on an emotional and spiritual level. More on this as the story unfolds! For now, if we pay attention to what is just outside our door, we can discover many new and helpful remedies and preventative medicine right under our noses.

The Plants are always calling to us. Which begs the question: Are we listening?

Davyd

Davyd Farrell is a Director and Joint Owner of Archetype Events. Along with his wife Emma, he creates and organises consciousness raising events, talks and workshops such as Plant Consciousness, The Shamanic Lands & Gateways Of The Mind. He is passionate about working with indigenous plants in a shamanic way, and how these practices can be used to bring about individual and collective healing. You can learn more about one of their events at www.plantconsciousness.com