Herbs

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January 03, 2005

Sandalwood

Reprinted from the September 1996 (print) issue of Howling at the Moon (also by Bluewolf)

Sandalwood is a small tree that grows primarily in India. Its botanical name is Santalum album. It is commercially grown only in India, where every tree is numbered and protected by the government. The medicinal parts of the plant are the wood and the essential oil, which can be pressed from the wood, or extracted with alcohol and water. Both the wood and the essential oil can be found commercially.

Champa incense sticks have been rolled in sandalwood, and it can be seen on the outside of the stick as a powdery beige coating. Sandalwood is one of the most valuable woods in the world. It has a rich, mysterious scent and is used widely in magical and religious rituals. The medicinal properties of sandalwood are: astringent, disinfectant, diuretic, expectorant, and stimulant.

Preparation and dosage: Decoction: Boil 1 heaping teaspoon of wood in 1 cup of water. Take 1 to 2 cups a day, a mouthful at a time. Tincture: A dose is from 20 to 40 drops.

Sandalwood is associated with the sign of Virgo, the planet Mercury and the Moon. Its association with Mercury is due to its use in rituals to speed healing. The association of sandalwood with the Moon is due to its ability to lull the conscious mind and facilitate meditation.

The scent of sandalwood is light and airy, and is of a high spiritual vibration. With sandalwood, deep states of relaxation take place on the spiritual level rather than just on the physical level. There is a noticable calming effect which takes place that extends quite deeply. The state produced creates an environment in which there is a focus on the information already garnered from past lives, the current life, and what is possible for the future.

When using sandalwood, the heart and fifth chakras become relaxed. With the higher spiritual energies present, the heart and throat relaxed, and the conscious mind in a state of great ease, the type of environment conducive to channeling has been created. Channeling is just one of the many methods available for accessing past life information. The deep meditative state that can be achieved when using sandalwood is another method that can be used to access past life information and understand the effects of the past on your present life.

Powdered sandalwood can be scattered about a place to clear it of negativity. When mixed with lavender, it makes an incense designed to conjure spirits.

Posted by BlueWolf on January 3, 2005 02:08 AM