Item #HRASC:
Raspberry Leaf, Cut

While many hear the word Raspberry and think only of the famed berries, the leaves of the Raspberry plant (Rubus idaeus in Latin), have long been known to possess a great many virtues. With a high concentration of vitamins and minerals, the leaves are sometimes used in aiding pregnancy and delivery. With vitamins C and E present in large amounts, as well as A and B complex, the leaf is supposed to also aid the immune system of women a great deal, and facilitate healthy skin and bone development for babies. It also helps promote circulation, aiding the mother whose blood volume increases a great deal during pregnancy. Containing alkaloids, the leaves of the Raspberry plant are also supposed to help tone muscle, aiding the mother during the actual birthing process. Herbalists of old have also indicated that it can enrich mother`s milk, especially when the baby is going through a growth spurt. In metaphysical and occult traditions, Raspberry leaves are also often spoken of as having the ability to aid in producing visions of a divinatory nature, as well as aiding in spells of protection and love.

Raspberry Leaf tea is still often held as a useful infusion to be employed as a gargle for sore mouths and throats. Some herbalists also hold that it can be used to treat throat ulcers, as well as a wash for wounds and ulcers in general. In other cases, herbalists have developed treatments that utilize raspberry leaf to treat stomach pain and discomfort. .

Item #HCLRC: Clover, Red Whole

Red clover, or Eugenia caryophyllata, has long been seen as a flower with many spiritual and medicinal uses. Of old, it was seen as something that can purify blood so that the one who imbibed the clover would be hearty and hale, and improve circulation. It was also used as a diuretic, to cleanse the body of excess fluids and toxins, wherein it was thought to help cleanse and strengthen the liver. For colds, it was also used as an expectorant, helping to clear the lungs of mucus and fluid. Spiritually, it was widely seen as a powerful agent in bringing good luck to financial arrangements, or blessing and protecting domestic animals. The flowers were also often mixed into potions intended to induce lust in those who drank them.

Modern herbalist still view Red Clover as a potent aid in helping coughs and colds, using it to aid and treat whooping cough and a wide range of other respiratory problems. Red clover is also often used externally, treating skin irritation and swelling, psoriasis, and eczema.

Item #HROSRW:
Red Rose Buds & Petals

Used by man throughout history, Red Rose Buds have seen numerous mentions in the texts of the ancients as well as more modern scholars. Horace and Pliny write of the fable that the deep crimson rose sprang from the blood of Adonis, a venerated god of the Greek Pantheon. Later, Romans used roses lavishly, strewing them upon floors and floating them in wine. Brides and Grooms were crowned with roses, as were the religious icons of Cupid, Venus and Bacchus. And from this, perhaps, was born the long standing association of these red buds with spells and rituals of love, happiness, and plenty, for which they are used often in many traditions to this day. Among the Romans, and in other cultures, the buds and petals were also scattered at the feet of the victors, making it a powerful symbol for overcoming obstacles and achieving one`s goals.

Herbalists of the modern area sometimes use rose buds to treat headache and dizziness. Other applications have seen them used in the treatment of mouth sores, as well as a tonic that is said to be soothing for the heart and the nerves. Others still claim that using rose buds can be an effective treatment for menstrual cramps as well.

Item #HSANRC:
Red Sandalwood Chips

Widely known for its fragrance, and the essential oil that it is used to produce, Red Sandalwood has been valued for centuries for the qualities it possessing for carving, medical, and spiritual purposes. Indeed, a wide variety of cultures use Red Sandalwood for their religious purposes. Hindu Priests make a past used to decorate icons and religious tools and then distribute it to devotees, who use it to mark their foreheads, neck and chest. Buddhists sometimes consider it akin to the lotus, and use it to transform desire and maintain alertness during meditation. They also use it as a popular offering to the Buddha. Within the Zoroastrian faith, sandalwood is offered to the three grades of fire, and use in this way as a most sacred offering. Priests within Zoroastrian temples often sell red sandalwood as one of their chief forms of income for this purpose. In modern spiritual practices, this has perhaps evolved to leave red sandalwood used often in rituals and spells of healing and purification. It is still often used in meditation, and is generally considered to enhance magical work in general.

In the 1920`s and 1930`s, red sandalwood was quite popular in medicine. The oil was used for the treatment of fevers and indigestion, as well as an aid in healing bruises, and was used both externally and internally for these purposes. Modern study has also shown that red sandalwood has some antimicrobial properties, perhaps making it useful in preventing the growth of microbes. Red Sandalwood cannot be exported to Canada.

Item #HSANRP:
Red Sandalwood Powder

Sandalwood has been used throughout the ages for numerous spiritual matters. In its powdered form, Sandalwood provides all of the same desired effects but perhaps with a greater ease of use. Powdered, it is often much easier to use in creating a mixed into a paste to mark icons and the body during rituals of religious devotion, a practice that is common to those of Hindu faith. Others, particularly among Buddhists, also use it to burn on charcoal as incense that aids in transforming desires and finding an inner peace while maintaining alertness in meditation. In neo-pagan traditions, Sandalwood powder has also been applied as a component added can be added to ritual washes and baths, or burned as incense during rituals and spells of purification and healing.

In the 1920`s and 1930`s, sandalwood was quite popular in medicine. The oil was used for the treatment of fevers and indigestion, as well as an aid in healing bruises, and was used both externally and internally for these purposes. Modern study has also shown that sandalwood has some antimicrobial properties, perhaps making it useful in preventing the growth of microbes. Red Sandalwood cannot be exported to Canada.

Item #HSUGC: Rock Sugar Candy Crystals
(Pure Cane Sugar)

These crystallized sugar candies date far back to India and Iran, with references to it in literature dating as far back as the 9th century. Since its creation, it was primarily used within culinary recipes and confections and indeed is enjoyable by itself as a very sweet rock candy. It is also used throughout the world to sweeten tea and even dessert soups and liquor. It is also widely popular in india as a mouth freshner, particularly when combined with aniseed. This candy is also used in the celebration of the Mexican Day of the Dead. During this festival children use the rock candies to sculpt sugar skulls, or Calaveras de azucar, decorating them with icing, jewels, and dyes before eating them to consummate the end of the celebration.

In herbalism and spirituality, they are perhaps most frequently used to make an herbal tincture, tonic or other such blend have a better taste. Dissolving in water and other liquids, they go a long way to confirming the old song about a spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down. They can also be crushed with a mortar and pestle or other such means to help them dissolve better, and otherwise aid in creating a more palatable blend.

Item #HROSSC: Rose Hips, Cut

Rose Hips are the fruit of the rose plant. Many myths have long held that these small fruits are poisonous, but modern study has since disproved this misconception. Indeed, despite this folk belief rose hips have also long been used in the creation of herbal teas, jams, jellies, and marmalades. They have also long been used to flavor wines, as well as a soup that is quite popular in Sweden. In the mid ages, Rose Hips were even utilized to make a variety of mead. While these culinary practices were popular in Europe, the Native Americans often applied Rose Hips to medicine, using them to treat cold and flu. Today they are perhaps most commonly found in home fragrance and potpourri. During World War II they were also used in England to make Vitamin C syrup for children, as the more commonly used fruits and vegetables were hard to come by due to German blockade. In some folklore, the fruits of the rose plant were also aid to be quite useful in calling good spirits and bringing good luck.

In more recent years, herbalists still frequently prescribe rose hips for their high concentration of Vitamin C. It is also common for them to be used in the treatment of cold and flu and similar symptoms. Others still have applied a rose hips tonic as a laxative, or even as a topical treatment for acne.

Item #HROSMW:
Rosemary Leaf, Whole

This hearty herb, Rosmarinus officinalis, is native to the Mediterranean region has been cultivated and used in culinary and medicinal properties for centuries. Primarily grown for the kitchen, it has also even seen use in helping to prevent erosion in landscaping as well as a topiary plant that can be sculpted easily to please the eye. In cooking, it possesses somewhat of a strong, bitter taste and is used to add to the taste of many traditional dishes, as well as in an ingredient for herbal tea. Of old, it was also famously used for "hungry Water," in the treatment of the Queen of Hungry, and as such was said to revitalize paralyzed limbs as well as treat gout. Rosemary has also had an ancient reputation for improving memory. As such, it is frequently used as a symbol for remembrance in weddings, war commemorations, and in some cases funerals. In the mid ages it was in weddings as a headpiece for the bridge, while the groom and their wedding`s guests would wear rosemary sprigs, each representing charms of love. Newlywed couples were also to plant a branch on their wedding day, and if it grew healthily it was to be a good omen. Another common practice of old was to tap one you desired with a rosemary branch, and if it were to blossom you and your desired partner would fall in love. Others still used rosemary leaves to stuff cloth dolls, and in this manner cure illness or attract a lover. Rosemary gardens were also aid to ward away the curses and evil spells of others during the mid-ages.

In more modern studies Rosemary has been shown to actually improve memory, though studies also showed recall in these cases to be somewhat slower. Some herbalists also proscribe it to help lower the risk of strokes and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer`s and Lou Gehrig`s Disease.

Item #HROSP: Rose Petals, Pink

Rose petals have been used throughout the history of man, both in decoration and in spiritual rituals, and as such can be found throughout ancient texts and the writings of more modern scholars. They have been used to flavor wine and scent perfume, and are highly valued as parts of floral gardens. The Romans would often crown brides and grooms with wreaths of roses, or use them to crown the sacred icons of their gods, such as Cupid, Venus and Bacchus. Within spiritual practices, these pink rose petals are also quite commonly used within rituals of happiness, emotional balance, and love spells.

When used to scent water they can sometimes help soothe headaches and ease stress, and in this way are often utilized by herbalists and aromatherapists. Of old, it was also said that a tonic could be made from them for the treatment of mouth sores, soothing the heart and nerves, and even helping to ease menstrual cramps.