WhorsewHOST: welcome curandero to healing chat please tell us a little about yourself and what you will be talking about today
Curandero: Ok...first I am 45 to 50 yrs old....I am hispanic and mexican american - my grandfather was healer and my mother was a midwife - I was picked by a curandero by my granddad..He was part of a circle of healers from central California - I have been a police officer and teacher of the deaf - several years ago I began practicing publicly using herbs and rituals. I took classes at the Pacific School of Herbal Medicine to improve my skills - the director eventually told me to start my own school explaining I knew as much about healing as he did and I would never practice like an anglo herbalist - A while later I suffered my first stroke - it gave me time to consider his words..So I quit teaching the deaf...and opened my school.
Curandero: OK....curanderismo as practiced in the United States is a blending and evolution of native and hispanic healing techniques. This involves herbs, sweats, diet, and magick. Now...in California the Catholic influence in curanderismo is much less than in other western states. So I use rituals more intune with native american philosophy and concepts. I use rattles, feathers, and psychotropic plants when necessary. In California it evolved to a point where curanderos/curanderas also adopted the use of Chinese herbs....anglo herbs...and the herbs brought in by the Spanish
WhorsewHOST: could you explain phychotropic plants to those who may not understand what they are
Curandero: Psychotropic plants are hallucengenics. I use yarrow, datura, and on very rare occasions peyote - very rare - 90 percent of my practice is herbalism. 10 percent involves magic and ritual
Curandero: Ok...any questions?
WhorsewHOST: what do you mean when you use the word magic
Brightfeather: I would like to know more about how you choose to use the psychotropic materials in a healing instead of the non-psychotropic ones?
Vicki: Does the catholic influence have to do with quadalupe vs. virgin mary?
Curandero: Magic is a word that is familiar to most people...but to me it means harnessing the powers of the unseen world. It means connecting with power and spirits to affect change.
nm: i know yarrow is used for pain and such, tho i don't know what datura is used for
Curandero: Most of my clients come for physical problems, I can use herbs for those but occasionally a client will come for a condition that does not have a place in modern medicine
Curandero: most people KNOW when they have been hexed or cursed - most people know when a place feels WRONG or in disharmony
Vicki: My friend asked me to seek you because they have been salted and diabetes is occurring.
Curandero: If a person is being attacked by nightmares, moments of panic, you look for a pattern. In this case I might use a psychotropic plant to enter their dreams. This is how I decide.
Vicki: What if you know the culprit?
Curandero: Makes no difference to me. I cannot use aggressive magic.
Vicki: Do the demons attack you while you are practicing?
WhorsewHOST: what is the reason behind not being able to use aggressive magic curandero
Curandero:On rare occasions I have become ill...and suffered nightmares...but the evil is directed primarily at my client not me. One of the traditons of true curanderismo is this.....You will do no harm. That means I can protect, I can shield, I can even confuse...but I must never never never use magic or ritual offensively. Once we cross the line we become tainted.
WhorsewHOST: thank you curandero - what happens when you become tainted
Curandero: No curandero in known history has crossed the line.
Morrigan: are your native beliefs those of a particular tribe?
Curandero: My native beliefs are primarily from the Temecula tribe of S. Calif.
Curandero: I missed one question about the Virgin...could you ask it again please.
Vicki: Yes, I wanted to know if the catholic influence is the controversy over virgin mary vs guadalupe?
Curandero: There really is no controversy...I use the statue of the Virgin to represent the Earthmother to me - We believe they are the same - Mother Theresa had a wonderful qoute...she said, God wants you to be a good Christian, a good Bhuddist, a good Protestant. etc.
WhorsewHOST: so curandero could you tell us some herbs that are common and how they can be used medicinally?
Vicki: a cure all?
Curandero: one of many lol - a mild antiseptic
Curandero: how about yerba buena now, or simple spearmint - good stuff topically....I make a liniment of it for sore, very sore muscles
Curandero: one part mint to four parts rubbing alcohol by weight - leave for a month in a dark place, it will turn a lovely emerald green,use for sore aching muscles....if you have marijuana combine that also
WhorsewHOST: what action does the marijuana do
Curandero: marijuana topcially is an excellent pain killer. the phenol in the mint acts as a mild transdermal for the pot
Vicki: What kind of container?
Curandero: brown if you have it. glass
WhorsewHOST: with cork stopper?
Curandero: does not matter...just air tight.
Vicki: thanks
Curandero: how about simple cinnamon now. one of my favorites. please use the hard stick cinnamon for medicinal reasons - it can be used as a wash for sore nursing nipples, as a tea it will break fevers in young children - used with pineapple juice it will pop chicken pox pustules. Drink it hot As a tea it will promote appetite. especially in HIV clients. For yeast infections it can used as a douche. It will sting a bit...but it does work. - any specific ?s
WhorsewHOST: how about bay?
Curandero: bay can be used for certain types of migraines. the calif. natives used it for insanity...but I don't.
Vicki: murr?
Curandero: Myrrh? Love myrrh - great for infections of the body and the mouth, as a dusting on baby bottoms it will prevent diaper rash, used in a vinegar mouth wash it will heal orthodonic surgery wounds
WhorsewHOST: parsley?
Curandero: parsley was very popular for PMS and conditions resulting form Menopause. the same for oregano.
Vicki: Have you heard of putting red ribbons on aloe vera plants to bring good fortune?
Curandero: Actually I have...though I have never tried it. My mother did that once and my wife became pregnant. Vicki: PMS please go into details!!!
Curandero: Drink a cup of parsley tea (fresh) two days before you know PMS will hit. actually drink 3 cups that day.
nm: dandelion
Curandero: Dandelion is GREAT, Dandelion is great for liver functions.
Vicki: How do you know the day?
Curandero: I'm not a woman...but my wife has it down to the minute. You must experiment I suppose.
Brightfeather: Keep track of your cycle on a calendar
Curandero: Dandelion is good for HIV, cirrocis, and urinary tract problems
nm: also night vision if mixed with carrot extract
WhorsewHOST: when havesting your herbs is there a good way to gather that seems to make the herbs more affective than just picking them
Curandero: I pray before harvesting. I ask each plant if I may take its life. I use my traditional obsidain knife for the first cut of the harvest. Sometimes I sense the plant is not ready....so I leave it. so I use my own herbs for that reason.
Vicki: Would you please tell about diabetes ?
Curandero: I suffer from diabetes 2
Vicki: What herbs?
Curandero: To lower and control blood sugar I use the flowing...... aloe vera, brickellia, tronadora, rose hips, prickly pear, bearberry, lowquat leaves. the most effective seem to be brickellia and prickly pear cactus - I eat the prickly pear cactus almost daily.
WhorsewHOST: is there a time of day in which it is better to harvest than another time
Curandero: Not for these herbs. Although lowquat seems to be best harvested in late spring. Morrigan what about hypoglycemia?
Curandero: For those cases I have used rosehips and bearberry. They normalize blood sugar.
Vicki: is there a way of purchasing them for instant relief? It is a matter of utmost importance
Curandero: Good luck on brickellia or tronadora....I harvest those...... You can find prickly pear in stores under the name Nopales in jars in the ethnic food section. Aloe Vera juice can be found in health food stores.
WhorsewHOST: what other common herbs would you grow if you had limited space but wanted a good medicine chest
Curandero: Ok here are the ones I think are a must: rosemary, sage, comfrey, aloe vera, chamomile, lemon balm.
Vicki: a must for what?
Curandero: a must for anyone who wants a decent herb garden
WhorsewHOST: thank you curandero
Vicki: What about fig juice? It is common in tex-mex.
Curandero: never used it.
WhorsewHOST: could you explain the uses of rosemary, comfrey and lemon balm please
Curandero: rosemary is an antiviral, sage is an antibiotic and antifungal, comfrey is good for skin irritations and poison oak, lemon balm is good for slight fevers stomach aches and depression.
Morrigan: i have used comfrey as a drawing poultice..do you have other uses?
Curandero: may I suggest a few books?
WhorsewHOST: yes please with the books
Curandero: Any book by my friend Michael Moore.......
also, The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody... wonderful photos
the Herbal Pharmacist
Homegrown Healings by Annette Sandavol
Herbally Yours by Penny Royal
and in a couple years....Yerbas de la Barrio by yours truly.. lol
Brightfeather: Kudos to you, Curandero, the Author.
Curandero: currently I am writing a wildcrafting survival guide. Wildcrafting is the art of harvesting herbs in the wild.... very time consuming.... very fun. occasionally dangerous.
WhorsewHOST: lets take next few minutes to allow for questions from anyone who wishes to ask something of curandero
Brightfeather: Problem: Morning headaches. What commercial herbal products do you recommend? I won't be able to use my own crafted or harvested herbs. Also, menopause. What commercial products good for supporting the change?
Curandero: wow.....my wife uses Dong Quai...I like using yarrow tea.
nm: feverfew
Curandero: feverfew tends to work better for migraines. Brightfeather: Tea? Tincture? What form? Dosage?
WhorsewHOST: feverfew also takes a long time in system to build up
Curandero: numerous commercial products for menopause. I don't use them. I go to the store and buy parsley fresh. make a tea.
Curandero: for headaches...I like tinctures. about 30 to 50 drops in a glass of water.
WhorsewHOST: for change i like dandilion tea and nettle tea
Curandero: that is NICE
Vicki: What about arthritis?
Brightfeather: ok. gives me some good and manageable approaches. thanks!
Curandero: my wife uses Dong Quai capsulse for headaches
Curandero: arthritis....wow...complicated....but start with 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar a day also 4 to 5 table spoons of aloe vera juice a day. finally stinging nettle tea, 2 cups a day.
WhorsewHOST: do you ever use comfrey on the joints themself curandero
Curandero: yep.....I make a dynamite comfrey salve.
WhorsewHOST: so do i
Curandero: I usually add arnica also - ok one more ?...my hands are giving out.
WhorsewHOST: and grapefruit seed oil
nm: do you consider alfalfa a true all herb
Curandero: I use it.... like it. I like wheat grass a bit more though.
WhorsewHOST: thank you curandero for coming and sharing you knowledge with us today
nm: what is the diff?
Curandero: wheat grass is better for depression
Morrigan: do you use cayanne?
Curandero: I use cayenne for blood disorders.
Curandero: thank you whw
WhorsewHOST: i for one hope you will consider doing this again in the near furture
Brightfeather: Thank you, curandero. This has been very valuable way to spend the morning.
Vicki: Thank you so very much. Good luck with your books.
Curandero: my pleasure....can I plug my website?
WhorsewHOST: sure can curandero
Curandero: Next week I should have new classes scheduled.... www.hispanicherbs.com
Curandero: my pleasure all
WhorsewHOST: walk in beauty curandero
Curandero: blessings.
WhorsewHOST: ((((((((((curandero))))))))))
Session held in the Healing Chatroom September 11, 1999
