Sylvia Rose
Chinese Alchemy: Mind Body Spirit
Chinese alchemy is already in practice in the early centuries BCE. Ancient texts like the Cantong qi explain the body is central to...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 293 min read
Spagyria: Botanical Science of Alchemy
Spagyria is the alchemy of plants. In the quest for the Philosopher's Stone and Elixir of Life, alchemists work with the nature of...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 153 min read
Shennong Primordial Farmer & Healer
Shennong is one of the Three Sovereigns of ancient Chinese lore. Also called the Divine Farmer, he's strongly associated with...
26 views
Sylvia Rose
Jun 135 min read
Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God
Asclepius (Aesculapius) is a Greek hero and Divine Physician, god of medicine in ancient Greek myth. Son of Apollo, he learns healing...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 125 min read
Baltic Amber in Folklore and Myth
Amber mythology, amber origin legends, magic and folklore include the undersea castle of Baltic lore, and the death of Phaëton, son of...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 35 min read
Wolfsbane (Aconitum) Ancient Poisons
Wolfsbane, monk's hood (Aconitum) delivers a lethal dose of poison. In the ancient world, poison plays a vital part, from death by elixir...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 24 min read
Chun Yuyan & Death of Empress Xu
Chun Yuyan (Chunyu Yan) is a Chinese court official in the 1st century BCE, during the Han Dynasty. As obstetrician and gynecologist to...
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Sylvia Rose
May 174 min read
Baltic Aetsi & the Roman Amber Texts
The Aetsi are a north Germanic-Baltic group described by Roman Tacitus in 98 CE. With strong connections to the trade of coveted amber,...
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Sylvia Rose
May 45 min read
Opium Poppy (Papaver somnifum)
Opium poppy (Papaver somnifum) is the common source of opium and derivatives such as morphine or heroin. All poppies produce the narcotic...
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Sylvia Rose
May 34 min read
Reishi or Lingzhi - Mushroom Magic
Reishi or lingzhi (Ganoderma sichuanense, G. lingzhi) is a shining red fungal fruiting body in shades from orange to deep maroon. The...
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Sylvia Rose
May 35 min read
Oder River: Nature & Early People
The Oder (Odra) River originates in Czechia and flows through several countries before reaching the Baltic Sea. Part of the Amber Roads,...
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Sylvia Rose
May 14 min read
Is Cherry Laurel Poisonous?
Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is an Old World evergreen species of the cherry family. Often mistaken for edible bay laurel, Prunus...
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Sylvia Rose
Apr 284 min read
Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia
Rhododendron is a plant genus of the heather family. With bright showy flowers, this glamorous perennial is known for its medicinal...
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Sylvia Rose
Apr 272 min read
Veratrum album - Tragic Toxins
Veratrum album (white hellebore, false hellebore) is a poisonous plant in the family Melanthiaceae. Used in ancient natural medicine for...
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Sylvia Rose
Apr 274 min read
Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore
Black hellebore (Helleborus niger) or Christmas Rose is a plant of the Helleborus sub-family, used in folk medicine and lethal poisons....
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Sylvia Rose
Apr 45 min read
Mugwort (Wormwood) Herbal Lore
Mugworts are used in folk medicine of India, China, Europe, America and other regions. A member of the Artemisia genus, mugwort is also...
48 views
Sylvia Rose
Mar 236 min read
Yarrow (Achillea) Magic & Medicine
Yarrow is an herb of magic and medicine. A flowering plant native to the northern hemisphere yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is commonly...
33 views
Sylvia Rose
Mar 115 min read
Black Pigments of Ancient Artisans
Black is among the first pigments in the palette of early humans. By Paleolithic times, black defines lines, shadows and meaning. Black...
60 views
Sylvia Rose
Mar 14 min read
Woad, the People's Blue: Ancient Pigments
Woad ( Isatis tinctoria ) is a plant yielding a blue pigment used in dyes, paint and medicine. A member of the mustard family, it's also...
49 views
Sylvia Rose
Jan 204 min read
Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb
Ephedra is a genus of shrub growing in hot arid and semi-arid regions throughout the world. As a natural health medicine plant and...
92 views
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