Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) Monograph

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Family: Asteraceae

Common medicinal properties:  Analgesic, Anodyne, Anti-inflammatory, Antidepressant, Antirheumatic, antispasmodic, Anti-Viral, Aromatic, Bitter, Carmenative, Cholagogue, Cicatrisant, Depurative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Febrifuge, Hepatic, Nervine, Sedative, Splenic, Stomachic, Vasoconstrictor, Vulnerary

Current Research: Research suggests that taking 220-1110 mg of German chamomile daily for 8 weeks reduces anxiety and depression in adults with anxiety disorder.

Contraindications: Should not be used with estrogen or sedative medications.

• Parts Used: Chamomile flowers, tea, chamomile oil
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• Constituents: volatile oil (containing chamazulene, farnesene, bisabolol), flavonoids (including rutin and quercimertrin), coumarins, plant acids (including valerianic acid), fatty acids, cyanogenic glycosides, salicylate derivatives  

Folk applications:  Used as hand wash to bring Money or insure luck at gambling. Added to a bath to attract love. Used in sleep or meditation incenses. Sprinkled around a property to remove curses and create protection. 

Personal observations

Fresh:

Dried: 

Water infusion:

Alcohol infusion from dried:

Oil infusion:

Essential oil:

Receipts

Honey Lip Balm

It took some trial and error to work out the best way to incorporate the the honey into the lip balm so it did not simply form drops of honey on the surface. I've now used this method several times with success but it's also gone pear shaped once or twice. 

Your mise en place will be very important. Once of the trickier parts is finding a bowl that will hold the less than one cup of lip balm, be deep enough to use the immersion blender on and easy to pour into the lip tubes. I use a square dip bowl with a fair amount of success.

Tools:
Double boiler 
Immersion blender
12 lip tubes or other small containers

2 Tbs Shea butter
6 Tbs Calendula oil
2 Tbs Bees Wax
2 Tbs Honey
up to 20 drops of preferred essential oil

This recipe will yield 12 tubes of lip balm. In a double boiler, melt the shea butter, bees wax and blend with the calendula oil. Once the three are incorporated remove from the heat and add the honey. Stir then honey in and notice that it will form small droplets in the mixture. The next step will make those droplets event small so they can be suspended throughout the lip balm. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture. This will break up the honey and also begin to cool the lip balm. Once well blended (it only takes 30 seconds or so) add in your preferred essential oils. Some suggestions are below.


Honey lemon: 15 drops of lemon
Honey basil: 15 drops of basil
Lemon basil: 10 drops lemon 5 drops basil
Cinnamon: 5 drops vanilla 5 drops cinnamon

Moon Elixirs

One of my focuses as a practicing witch is Shadow Work. For that reason, most of my moon elixir recipes focus on improvement of self. I pair these elixirs with spiritual journeying. This list is a work in progress.

Leonine Elixir of Courage - Crafted under a full Leo Moon
Shadow Elixir - Crafted under a Virgo Dark Moon
Aquarian Elixir of Genius - Crafted under a full Aquarius Moon
The Ram's Obstacle Banishment Elixir - Crafted under the Dark Aries Moon