An Ode to the Original Herbalists: Honeybees and Medicine from the Hive

By Caroline Anderson March 28, 2023 19 mins read 99 Views

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The slow, quiet days of winter are when the snow is deep, and plants rest in the earth. The bees are huddled together, staying warm in their hives, and being fed by the nectar, pollen, and other nutrients that they have collected from the bright days of flowering flowers.

We celebrate the longest night of year and the return of light. This Winter Solstice, we gather around the hearth to share stories, myths, and lore about honeybees and the magic work they do to sustain life and make the world more beautiful.

Honeybees are the original herbalists and alchemists. They gather sunlight through golden sweet nectar, bright pollen from flowers, and resins from trees, to create the most healing and nourishing foods/medicines in the world.

Listen to this episode of the podcast with Benjamin Pixie, herbalist and medicinal mead-maker Benjamin. Follow the honeybee's journey and unwrap her gifts.

This episode will include:

Long history of honeybee and human relations
The medicinal properties of honey, pollen and mead
Traditional and historical uses of honey
What can we learn from bees as herbalists?
Stories, poetry, and myths from all over the globe about honey, honeybees, and mead
Lessons learned from bees about how to build a culture that is in harmony with the Earth
How to be an ally for the bees and support flourishing hives during times of environmental distress caused by extractive agriculture

The Living Tradition of Beekeeping

Honeybees and humans have been in a long-standing relationship. Beekeeping dates back to around 10,000 years ago. There are petroglyphs that depict bees in Libya and the Middle East. Many cultures have stories, myths, and traditions about beekeeping and the reverence for the divine gifts of the hive.

The oldest known fermentation vessel dates back to China, 8,000 years ago. This clay pot contained honey, rice, barley, and other residues that indicate a fermentation. Archeological evidence from Israel also shows complex clay hives, and mead vats that were used to make honey mead from about 5,000 to 6,000 years ago.

In cultures all over the globe, honey has been used to make alcohol. There are many aspects to bee medicine. You will find honey, propolis and other sacred ritual parts all over the globe. Beekeeping is an ancient tradition. One of the most vital links to the plant world is through bees.

The Gifts of the Bees

Honey is a concentrated form of sunlight.

Honeybees are a team that provides for the hive. They take nectar from plants and bring it back to their hives. They add enzymes to the nectar and store it in hexagonal wax cell, where they transform it into honey. This allows the short nectar to be transformed into a lasting, eternal substance.

All powerful medicines are honey, wax, pollen and royal jelly. These bee-made medicines are available as a single or combined with herbs to create herbal remedies.

You can make herbal honeys by macerating aromatic herbs in a jar with honey, and then letting it sit on a sunny windowsill for several weeks. After that, strain the honey mixture and use it. Honey can balance some herbs' energetics, such as its ability to act as a deceptive agent on hot and dry Osha (Ligusticum Porteri).

There are three types of honey infused with herbs

Beeswax has inflammatory-modulating effects and is used as the base for many herbal salves and topical healing medicines.

Propolis is the best bee medicine. Propolis is a plant resin that bees extract from bark to treat their host. It serves as an important ingredient in the wax cell walls to keep the beehive from getting too fragile and falling apart. This substance stimulates the immune system and prevents infection from spreading.

People believe that propolis was used in medicine and mummification by ancient civilizations such as the Incas and Egyptians. Propolis is an excellent ally in human health and well-being. You can use it to keep your boundaries healthy and stop the spread of disease.

Honey bees rely on pollen for their primary source of protein. Freshly harvested pollen is better than store-bought dehydrated pollen which has lost its nutritional value. This bee medicine can be consumed in many ways. It is most commonly used to support the immune response to environmental allergens.

Royal jelly, a milky substance made by worker bees, is fed to the queen during her larval stage and all larvae bees for the first three days. The queen still receives royal jelly throughout her entire life. Royal jelly is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other healing compounds.

You can infuse honey, wax, propolis, royal jelly and other bee products with your herbalism practice.

Hive Mind

"One of the most important roles of a herbalist is to learn how to listen to nature. The honey bees are one of the best teachers in that regard. You don't need to know anything about them. You just need to observe them." Benjamin Pixie

Bees fly in a single, unified manner. Each bee is responsible for its own life and that of the others. The larger the swarm, higher the electricity, which is easily felt when working among them.

The bees have a lot to teach us. You can learn a lot from bees, including how they support their environment and how they work together for a greater purpose. Bee medicine is not just in honey. It also includes how they help us live in harmony with the natural world. We can learn a lot from them about how to be better herbalists by watching their work.

About our guest: Benjamin Pixie

I felt myself to be the messenger of this sweet, bubbling spirit, of delight"

~ Benjamin Pixie.

In 2006, Benjamin was able to catch his first bee swarm. This was the beginning of a long-lasting marriage to the ladies who love the bees. He founded the Pixie Honey Company in 2007, the same year Colony Collapse Disorder became officially recognized in the United States. He has been developing organic, non-toxic, bee-centered methods for tending bees. These have improved the health of bees and the medicinal bee products they produce. Benjamin's years of experience in potion making and his knowledge in botanical medicine have enabled him to create potent and unique botanical meads. These meads are based on the bees and plants, but also return reverence, magic and medicine for those who drink alcohol.

Benjamin and Maeyoka met in a lush meadow in June 2013. Through their mutual respect for honeybees, and passion for the wild, a love blossomed and eventually they became a couple. Maeyoka brings a decade of experience in beekeeping, herbal medicine and deepening her understanding of the interconnectedness and reciprocity that bees and plants offer. This is the meadow where their first encounter was. Benjamin, Maeyoka and their four children and a growing community serve as the stewards for a 160-acre honeybee sanctuary. The center is called Skalitude. It is a name that means "to live harmoniously with nature".

Benjamin is kindly offering a discount code for first time orders at www.spiritofthehive.buzz with the coupon code: evolution

Learn more about Benjamin below:

https://www.pixiemead.com/

https://spiritofthehive.buzz/

https://www.instagram.com/benjaminpixie/

This podcast also references the books Global History of Beekeeping and Honey Huntingspan type="font-weight 400 ;">"" by Eva Crane
Rudolf Steiner's lecture on Bees and Jacqueline Freeman's beekeeper Jacqueline Freeman's "The Song of Increase" are just a few of the many highlights.

The School of Evolutionary Herbalism first published the post An Ode to the Original Herbalists, Honeybees, and Medicine From the Hive

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the disadvantages of using herbs?

Herbs are a great way to keep your body healthy because they contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids, phytonutrients, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, essential oils, carotenoids, sterols, and sterolins. Some even contain cannabinoids.

But there are also lots of side effects associated with herbal remedies. For example, taking too much herb could cause liver damage or even death. Herbal supplements may interact with prescription drugs, which means that they might affect how well the drug works.

Some herbs can interfere with blood clotting, while others may increase bleeding when taken with anticoagulants (blood thinners).

There are also safety concerns for pregnant women and children.

The bottom line is that herbs aren't safe for everyone. If you're considering trying them out, do your homework. Look up each product's side effects and warnings and read reviews online.

Is it okay to use dried herbs instead of fresh ones?

It is best to pick up fresh herbs whenever possible when using herbs.

Although dried herbs are convenient, they don’t provide the same benefits as fresh herbs.

Fresh herbs contain essential oils that give your food a unique flavor. These oils help preserve the nutrients within the herb.

Dried herbs lose all their flavor after drying, so they cannot replace fresh herbs.

You should only use dried herbs if you absolutely must. Otherwise, you should get your fresh herbs from the market.

Is it safe to eat raw garlic?

Raw garlic contains potent compounds that could cause stomach upset. Garlic should always be cooked before eating.

Garlic is one of the oldest known medicinal plants. It has been used since ancient times to treat various ailments.

Today, garlic is still commonly used for treating colds, coughs, and other respiratory infections. In addition, garlic can increase blood circulation, boost immunity, protect against cancer, lower cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease, and reduce stress.

Do not ingest large amounts of raw garlic to avoid possible health problems. It does not harm you if you consume small amounts regularly, however. This is especially true with young children who might accidentally swallow some.

What plant helps with infection?

There are plants out there that help fight infections. Some even contain anti-bacterial properties. One of them is mint.

Mint has been used for centuries to treat respiratory infections such as cold symptoms and flu. Mint also supports digestion and relieves gas pains. You may find relief with peppermint tea if you have an upset stomach. Peppermint oil has antibacterial properties, which make it effective against germs.

Peppermint tea contains menthol, beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. These nutrients support healthy immune systems and provide energy to keep your body strong.

You can make peppermint tea at home by adding one teaspoon of dried mint leaves to boiling water. Let steep for five minutes and drink hot three times per day.

Or you can buy peppermint tea bags at any grocery store. Simply add two teaspoons of dried mint leaves to a cup of hot water. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. Drink hot three times per day for best results.

Statistics

Herbs are among the most popular and widely used medicinal remedies. According to a survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health, herbs were used by over 38% of adults in the United States.
The herbs market is highly competitive, with over 1,000 herb suppliers and over 15,000 herbs products available in the United States alone.

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How To

What to look for in herbs?

Herbs contain natural compounds that may help treat various conditions. In addition, herbal remedies may provide relief when used along with conventional treatments.

Herbal remedies include teas, capsules, tablets, ointments, creams, lotions, oils, and topical applications. Some of these products are meant to be taken internally, while others are applied externally.

The most common uses of herbal remedies include relieving minor aches and pains, treating cold symptoms, reducing fever, controlling coughs and sore throats, easing digestion problems, soothing skin irritations, alleviating menstrual cramps, and providing general health benefits.

When buying herbs, look for the following:

Freshly picked plants. Avoid dried herbs unless they've been stored in a cool place. If possible, buy herbs directly from farmers' markets.
Pure extracts. These are made by extracting the active ingredients from herbs using alcohol or water. Look for 100% pure extractions.
Certified organic herbs. Organic herbs must meet strict standards set forth by the USDA.
Natural flavors. Many herbs have strong scents that can overwhelm other foods. Adding flavorings such as vanilla, almond, or orange helps mask their smell.
Potency. The amount of active ingredient per unit weight varies depending on the type of herb.
Packaging. When purchasing herbs, check the packaging to ensure that it's clean and free of chemicals.