Item #HSAGW: Sage Leaf, Cut

Common to household herb gardens, Sage (or Salvia officinalis) is often used as a kitchen spice for culinary purposes, but throughout the age has also seen use for its medicinal properties. Indeed, of old it was often highly regarded for these properties, with common sayings such as "Why should a man die whilst sage grows in his garden?" testifying to the beliefs held by every village herbalist and doctor of old. Some also held that it was of great aid in achieving prosperity for businesses, as well as having properties that would aid in mitigating the grief of both mind and body. Sometimes used as a tea for these purposes, the leaves were collected annually for this in many Mediterranean regions. Some cultures also burn sage, seeing the smoke as sacred and having the powers of protection, healing, and prosperity, with the potential to aid in achieving wisdom. It was also sometimes used in the sacred rituals of Native Americans, though they tended to prefer white sage.

Herbalists also sometimes apply Sage Leaf to medicinal purposes, using it in a wash for complications of the mouth, such as bleeding gums, or a gargle for sore throats. Sage leaf has also been used in the treatment of colds and fevers, healing wounds and easing joint pain, and even in aiding with digestion. Some have also suggested that Sage Leaf can be of use in treating depression.

Item #HSALP: Salt Petre

Commonly known in science as Potassium Nitrate, Salt Petre is a naturally occurring source of Nitrogen. Perhaps most famed for being a component in Black Powder, it was also used in the slow matches used to fire the early matchlock firearms, as well as the old myth that it can be used to cause impotence. Indeed, many rumors abound that Salt Petre can be used by the military upon soldiers to render them impotent (presumably to keep their mind on the fight), or by jealous wives with suspicions of unfaithful husbands. It is also well known within religious and spiritual communities, and has been seen as an aid in curses or in spells that are intended to keep men from staying. Within this some traditions, it has also been used in exorcism rituals, and purification rites.

Despite the old myth that salt petre can render impotence, newer studies have shown that there is some evidence that it can combat high blood pressure. Studies have also shown that salt petre possesses no chemical properties that induce impotence.

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 #HSCUC: Scullcap, Cut

Known commonly in some circles as mad-dog skullcap, Scutellaria laterifolia, or Madweed, Scullcap was popularized among early Americans. Among them, it received these nicknames from the fact that it was widely considered a surefire cure for rabies, or hydrophobia as it is sometimes called. It is this purpose for which it is most widely known, though Scullcap has also seen common use as a sedative and a tranquilizer. Because of these qualities, it can now commonly be found in alternative smoke blends, where the sedative properties aid those who are seeking relaxation and peaceful contemplation. Some spiritual practices have also associated Scullcap with ritual and spells involving everlasting fidelity and commitment.

While Scullcap`s use in treating hydrophobia (rabies) is still up to some debate, some herbalists have also found other medicinal uses for the herb. These use it commonly in the treatment of hysteria and convulsions, as well as in cases of rickets. In general, many herbalists apply it to all disorders of the nervous system, and suggest it as a remedy specifically for epilepsy. They also utilize it in easing nervous tension or helping those with insomnia get to sleep. There is also some experimentation in using scullcap to aid in lessening the withdrawal symptoms that come with substance abuse.

Item #HSEACB: Sea Salt, Coarse

Found in the process of the evaporation of seawater, Sea Salt has seen centuries of use among coastal communities for use in cooking and cosmetics. In cooking, the mineral content often provides a different flavor than found in ordinary table salt, and because of this one can sometimes find Sea Salt used in its stead within Gourmet cooking and in specialized potato chips, particularly in the kettle cooked variety. Sea salt was also an important part of the economic situation for some communities, dating as far back as the Roman Empire, where it was often paired with another market, such as cattle distribution, to create a combined product such as salted beef to increase the value of both products. A product of the sea, Sea Salt has long been associated with magic and mysticism. Within these practices it is sometimes used as a wash for magical scrying mirrors, as well as parts of consecration and purification rituals. It is also sometimes used in protective magic and ritual, as well as for the cleansing and purification of crystals.

Aside from the frequent culinary use, Sea Salt is perhaps most commonly used today in baths and washes, often used to sooth away aches and pains or otherwise aid in wounded and damaged tissues. Indeed, from this comes the name "bath salts."

Item #HSHACP: Shark Cartilage powder

Shark cartilage, the material that composes the skeletal structure of sharks, is rapidly becoming a popular dietary supplement as well as the center of much controversy. At the heart of this is the claim of many herbalists and nutritionists that shark cartilage is a potent aid in fighting cancer. Those who dispute this are often part of the scientific community, who claim that there is not enough evidence to support these theories. One of the reasons that the curative and medicinal properties of shark cartilage is so often disputed is the frequent use in the debate of the mistaken, and often repeated, belief that sharks do not get cancer. As a portion of the actual shark, some traditions also hold that shark cartilage can spiritually aid in achieving the properties of a shark, including their ferocity, cunning and vigor.

In fighting cancer, Shark cartilage is said to possess antioxidant qualities that aid in removing some of the particles that attack and destroy cells from the body. Beyond this, it is also believed that shark cartilage possesses anti-angiogenic properties, which can help prevent tumor growth. Outside of these possible benefits, shark cartilage is also often revered as an anti inflammatory, which can aid with treating arthritis and other such joint pain.

Item #HSOLC: Soloman's Seal, Cut

A relative Lily of the Valley, Solomon`s Seal is popular in gardens, and is native to Northern Europe and Siberia. It gets its name from the fact that when the root is cut traversely, markings can be observed within the fibers that somewhat resemble Hebrew script. This resulted in the rise of folklore that believed that King Solomon himself observed the value of this root to man and medicine, and so set his seal to it as testimony to its value. The root was indeed also applied to medicinal purposes, and was used often as a treatment for consumption (known today as tuberculosis). In spiritual traditions, the root is sometime associated with having properties similar to actual magical seals for the purposes of spells and rituals. Herbalist traditions find Solomon`s Seal Root useful as a tonic for aiding with digestive issues, including inflammation of the stomach and bowels, and even dysentery. The root is also sometimes powdered and used in a poultice that is used for aiding in the treatment of bruises, piles, general inflammation, as well as cuts and sores. This is a 1 oz packet of cut Solomon`s Seal root

Item #HSPEC: Spearmint, Cut

Known and revered for centuries, Spearmint (or Mentha spicata) is native to Europe and Southeast Asia, and is found to be an invasive species in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Herbalists often grow spearmint in pots and planters, as the roots can be intrusive and disruptive of the soil around where they grow. Perhaps most famously used in culinary applications, Spearmint is common to a wide range of foods, desserts, and beverages, and has been used to flavor liquors, teas, confectionaries, and even toothpaste. Of old, the Romans used it to invigorate the mind and stir the appetite, and even used it in a fashion similar to the way that we use smelling salts.

Herbalists today prescribe Spearmint for a wide variety of medical ailments, particular among children. Among children it is often used as a gentle aid in treating stomach aches, hiccups, and flatulence. It is also sometimes used in creating a gargle that is used to prevent gum disease, and whiten teeth. Some herbalists also use it as a mild diuretic and anti inflammatory, or even a fever reducer.

Item #HSTJC: St John's Wort, Cut

St. John`s Wort, or Hypericum perforatum has been held in ancient traditions that have long associated it with powerful protective magic as well as a potent medicinal aid. In the oldest of traditions, it is seen as a powerful ward against evil spirits and magic, and has been used in this way as a component in exorcism rituals, as well as in spells of ritual protection. It is also often said that St. John`s Wort also has the power to instill courage and invisibility, and is a powerful aid in spells of divination. In driving away evil spirits, it is also said to aid in alleviating depression and sorrow.

Modern studies have explored St. John`s Wort and found it to be a significant aid in treating depression. Results even indicated that it was potentially as useful as standard antidepressant medications while possessing less of the side effects. Because of this, it is also sometimes used in treating alcoholism. There is also some speculation that it can be used to ease the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Herbalists of old have also applied St. John`s Wort to the healing of wounds, and the treatment of colds, insomnia, and headaches.

Item #HSULP:
Sulphur Powder (Brimstone)

Sulfer Powder has been known in its natural form since the 6th century BC among in China. With the evolution of traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Taoists began to experiment in using it in their treatments and understanding of the world. Reference was also found from a later Song Dynasty Military Treatise, which speaks of many different formulas in which Sulfur Powder was used to create Black Powder which was in turned used in warfare. In Europe, Sulfur was valued highly enough to be given its own Alchemical Symbol, consisting of a triangle at the top of a cross. It was also well known as Brimstone, a word derived from biblical texts, and was often associated with damnation and hell. Spiritual traditions exist around Sulfer as well, depicting it as a powerful aid in preventing hexes or destroying an enemy`s power over you.

Herbalists and folk lore predating modern science holds sulfur powder to be a potent medical skin treatment. For this purpose it was usually used in the creation of a cream which was intended to alleviate psoriasis, eczema, and acne.