Turmeric

Warm and spicy for cooking's bite
Herb for health of nerves and heart
Golden color of Buddhist's cloth
Prosperity and protection is art.

​Turmeric is a member of the ginger family that has been cultivated for food and medicine for at least 4000 years in southern Asia.  It is one of the common spices in wide spread use in India, China, and Indonesia.  If you have had curry, you have had turmeric.  It is a beautiful herb that colors and flavors rice, broth, and cheese.  I use turmeric in my home made sausage.

This brilliant orange rhizome is a natural dye plant.  It is used to color Buddhist's robes and the wedding clothes in India.  It will color any porous material.  That is great if you want to dye baskets or hard boiled eggs.  It is not so good for your hands and counter tops.

Turmeric is a staple herb of Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It is used as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.  It is used to help with pain from arthritis and joint injuries.  It is heart healthy and brain healthy.  Turmeric protects the nervous system and the liver.  If you want a health tonic for the winter time blahs, Rosemary Gladstar's Fire Cider is an old time favorite use of turmeric.

This is also a magical herb for protection, purification, and health.  In India, it is used as a part of the marriage  ceremony to protect the marriage.  It is believed that wearing cloth dyed with turmeric will protect the person from both illness and evil.  Scatter a bit around your sacred space to protect it from energetic intrusion.  Scatter dried turmeric in front of the door and windows to keep negative influences out of your home.

Turmeric is used in spells and spell jars for strength, vitality, and healing.  If you make an ink from turmeric, it can be used to write spells for healing, joy, prosperity, and protection.

The source for this article is Turmeric Plant Profile.  You can download plant profiles at:
https://the-phoenixs-nest.beehiiv.com/p/turmeric-plant-profile
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