Healing Earth: 101

  When people hear the term 'healing earth', a few things may come to mind. A private spa in natural surroundings. A mud bath. A gentle tide pool that's nestled into the ground, with lush ferns and trees around it. The truth is, it's all of that, and more. The literal term 'healing earth' refers to the earth, having the ability to heal. Which, it does. It has since the beginning of the planet, and, it will continue to until the death of the planet. If you have ever stepped foot into the kitchen of an Elder AP (Alternative Practitioner), one thing may have stood out. Several jars of what looks like different types of soil. If you thought that, you were correct. Elder APs generally keep at least  jar of every type of soil that they can get their hands on. This does not mean that they were out digging around in the neighbor's garden, gathering up jars full of soil. Nor does it mean that they were going to the local nurseries, asking if they could purchase various types of soil samples. In fact, with extremely few exceptions, you will find that the soil contained in those jars, is local - from the ground. At times, you may find soil that is only found in certain parts of the world. However, due to border restrictions, bringing dirt from one nation to another is almost impossible these days.

      The use of dirt is something that has been going on for thousands of years. Have you ever been told to put mud on a bee sting, bug bite or rash? You probably thought that was a bit wacky, and, if you did try it, you did so 'secretly', and as a very last resort. If you did try it, you also probably found out that it really worked. So, why is that? It's because mud, as it dries, pulls oils and moisture from the skin's surface. As it pulls the oils, so too come the poisons that are laying about in the skin oils (which, pool around in the pores of the skin). What's the #1 immediate treatment for Poison Oak, Sumac and Ivy? Dirt. The #1 remedy for hives? Dirt. How about the #1 stopper of zits? Dirt. Ultra-oily skin? Dirt. In fact, this is something that has been used by every man, woman and child on this planet....and modern humans are mostly unaware of it. A woman might say: "I've only used clay masks on my skin, thank you very much". Which, she'd likely faint if she realized that clay, is a form of dirt.

 Sand, clay, silt, chalky, loamy....they're all different types of dirt. Clay soil, which is usually what we call 'red earth' or 'iron dirt' (because of its rusty color), isn't really good for growing things in. It is, however, really good to use as a skin application when you've gotten into a bit of poison oak, ivy or sumac. The same goes for chalky soil. Elder APs know which dirt pulls oils and poisons the fastest, and which dirt allows for slower healing (which, may not be what the person being treated would want....but the results are much better in the long run). Dirt can also be used as a type of natural dye. Typically, cotton, linen and hemp materials are best used for this. However, almost any material, including silks, can be dyed. The process just takes quite a bit longer, depending on the synthetic materials within the cloth itself. Now why on earth, would anyone want to dye cloth, using healing earth? It's not 'true' dying. Rather, staining. When an Elder AP makes a bandage from healing earth, you'll find that there are several things that are done. First, the cloth bandage is soaked in water. Then, it is smeared with a thick layer of mud, made from the healing earth. Finally, any additional healing items are placed IN the mud. After this process is taken care of, the person's wound is wrapped with this cloth. The directions? Let it dry completely, THEN take it off and wash yourself with water only.

  You're probably beginning to notice that all this Elder AP stuff sounds like nothing more than good old fashioned natural healing. Well, you're right. It is exactly that. Elder APs don't run around casting spells and reciting incantations, when a simple spot of mud on the arm will do the trick. If they inadvertently walked into a bit of poison oak, they're not going to bother making a freaking salt circle, sitting in the middle of it, with the infected leg stretched out to the 'earth point' of the pentacle and start reciting healing incantations. NOT going to happen. Nope. They're going to slather that area with the thickest layer of mud they can get their hands on...and heal. If you prefer to make a bit production out of the healing process, and that makes you feel that much better, then by all means, go for it. As for us elders, we'll be over here sitting in our mud puddle, enjoying the show.

We keep dirt all over the place. A small jar of it in the medicine cabinet for making salves. Several jars of it in our kitchen for making bandages and dyed cloths. A jar might be found out in our gardening area, to use in case we get stung by bees, wasps, hornets, mosquitoes or gnats. I promise you though, no matter how many jars of dirt we have in the house, none of them are used for spells, incantations or rituals. To us, they don't 'represent Mother Gaia'. They represent nothing but jars of dirt. If you want something that would represent Mother Gaia, get a plant. Trying to honor the Earth element by using a jar of dirt, to an elder, is akin to trying to honor a chicken by using a jar of bullion. Doesn't quite work for us. You'll have the same amount of results as if you used a wind up mouse to try and herd a few hundred cats. It's going to go hay wire at some point, and the results won't be nearly what you had hoped for. Use healing earth to heal. Represent the earth with something that is birthed from it. Dirt is not birthed from the earth....it IS the earth. It is the very foundation that has created the world we live in. We get glass, from sand. We get rock from pressed dirt. We get trees that grow out of the dirt. There is silt at the bottom of bodies of water. Use it for what it's there for. Healing, growth and nurturing.