Tag: Morocco

What Is Bergamot: A Natural Healer

What Is Bergamot: A Natural Healer

What is bergamot? It has been sought after through the ages for its essential oil. It is very essential in promoting the body’s ability to inner heal.

Bergamot can be found in Italy, Morocco and the Ivory Coast, it originated in Asia. Bergamot is a small tree with long, oval green leaves with white flowers. The bergamot bears a small round fruit that is yellow when ripe. Bergamot’s essential oil is extracted by cold expression from the fruit peel. It has a spicy, delicate scent that is light and refreshing.

Bergamot is used as an antidepressant, and is calming and refreshing for the nervous system. It is highly useful as an antiseptic and is used as an insect repellent. When using as an insect repellent use caution and avoid strong sunlight, bergamot contains furocoumarins, which can cause photosensitivity.

Bergamot received its name from the city where it was first cultivated, which was Bergamot, Italy. It is said that Christopher Columbus brought the tree from the Canary Islands to Spain and Italy. Bergamot oil was very valued oil during the 15th to 16th century; it was used in teas and perfumes. In voodoo it is thought to ward off evil and danger.

In today’s society bergamot is also very valued oil, it is used to aid in the digestion process, in treating urinary tract infections, and also with colic. The essential oil of Bergamot is great with acne, eczema, varicose ulcers and seborrhea of the skin and scalp.

For people with sensitive skin it is advised to use in moderation because if used in excess may irritate the skin.

Herb of the Day for Feb. 11 – Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal is well known as a magical herb. In some traditions it’s associated with money, while in others Pennyroyal is connected to strength and protection. In Hoodoo and some forms of American folk magic, Pennyroyal is carried to ward off the “evil eye.” Cat Yronwoode of Luckymojo.com says that it can be used to break a hex or curse.

Associated with the planet Mars, Pennyroyal was used by sailors in the Elizabethan era to ward off seasickness. It’s also believed to effective in warding off fleas and mosquitoes.

Sir James George Frazer wrote in The Golden Bough that in Morocco, Pennyroyal and other aromatic herbs were burned in large quantities at midsummer. He says that people leap across the smoke, “driving it towards the orchards and crops,” as a method of protecting the year’s harvest from damage. The smoke contains a “magical quality which removes misfortune from men, animals, fruit trees, and crops.”

For some protection magic, make a sachet stuffed with Pennyroyal and tuck it in your purse.

In a few traditions, Pennyroyal is associated with money magic. If you own a business, place a sprig over the door to draw in customers and prosperity. Try making a bar of Money Soap to wash your hands with, or use Pennyroyal to brew up some Prosperity Oil.

Anti-Evil Eye Conjure Bag (1)

Anti-Evil Eye recommendations from India suggest filling a red bag with some or all of the following:

  • Crocodile teeth
  • Pottery shards or bits of terracotta pottery found in a cemetery
  • Protective verses and sacred texts
  • Chili peppers, lemons or limes, to be replaced with fresh ones weekly or as needed.

Wear or carry the bag with you.

In The News…….

In the news

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali

  • Former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (pictured) is sentenced in absentia to 35 years in jail.
  • RusAir Flight 9605 crashes in Petrozavodsk, Russia, killing 44 people.
  • ICANN votes for an expansion of the available generic top-level domains, allowing companies and organizations to choose their own suffixes.
  • Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy wins the U.S. Open with a record score of 16 under par.
  • In response to ongoing protests in Morocco, King Mohammed VI announces constitutional reform proposals to be voted on in a referendum.

Incense of the Day for April 24 is Moroccan Anti-Evil Eye Incense

Moroccan Anti-Evil Eye Incense
Basic Version
 
Benzoin incense, called “jawi” in Morocco destroys the effects of the Evil Eye.
 
1. Mash up benzoin resin or use benzoin powder.
 
2. Sprinkle onto lit charcoals and fumigate an area or a person.
 
Benzoin comes in different colors; for maximum power, blend darker and lighter pieces.