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The Selfless Spirit of Tobacco Medicine
This medicine is shared with the best of intentions. My hope is you will find a few teachings or new information that you can add to your Medicine Bundle. The Stronger our Medicine Bundles, the Stronger our Nations. The Sacred Medicine of the Selfless Spirit of Tobacco teaches the endless Knowledge of the Creator, and shows His love for us, through the many gifts, this one Spirit gives to everyone. Learn some of the many ways of using Tobacco Medicine.
Tobacco Medicine

Warning: Consult a qualified health practitioner for any serious medical problems. Use caution and common sense with the recipes found in these pages. The printed material herein is intended for educational purposes only and no responsibility is assumed for misadventure resulting from the use of botanical preparations or suggested therapy practices. If you have a health problem, you should consult a qualified medical doctor for diagnosis. Herbal treatment should only be taken with the advise of a qualified herbal practitioner. The writer assumes no responsibility for the efficacy of these recipes and does not promise healing. You are ultimately responsible for your health, and Only through faith and the will of the Creator God, will healing occur.

Self medication is dangerous and inefficient!
Tobacco Prayer
May the scent of the Tobacco
I have thrown on the Sacred Fire
Reach Thee, Creator Father, to let Thee know
We are still good and that thou mayest give us
All that we have asked.

Iroquois Prayer

Tobacco Trivia

Tobacco is Native to this Country. The use of Tobacco by Native Peoples predated the arrival of Europeans by a few thousand years. When Europeans first came to Turtle Island, every tribe in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Islands used Tobacco in some form. It was used as a sacred ceremonially herb and the brown leaves were used medicinally by inhaling, licking, snuffing, chewing, and used in varying forms from enemas to body washes. The parts of the Tobacco plant that are used are the leaves, when cured and dried.

There are more than sixty species of Tobacco or the genus called Nicotiana. Of the sixty species of Nicotiana, only two species were cultivated for use by Native Peoples. The Tobacco used in North America is the Nicotiana rustica, which contains four times the nicotine found in Nicotiana tabacum, the species used by Central and South American Natives. Nicotania rustica is now grown throughout the world.

Other Species of Tobacco:

Nicotiana frutcosa-grows in China and has sharp-pointed capsules.

Nicotania repandu-grows in North and Central America and is used to make the famous Havannah cigars, said to be the very best cigar tobacco.

Nicotania persica-grows in Persia and is the source of Persian tobacco.

Nicotiana latissima-also known as Orinoco tobacco.

Nicotania quadrivialis-grows around the Colombian and Missouri Rivers and has four-valved capsules.

Latakria Tobacco-the only species grown in Cuba.

Plants sometimes referred to as Tobacco Plants

Devil's Tobacco-Skunkweed (Symplocarpus foetidus)-Skunk Cabbage, Skoto, Elephant Ears-The root is dried really, really well and powdered. Mix 1/2 teaspoon with boiled water and a pinch of baking soda. Add honey. This is good for people with Asthma, bronchitis, hay fever, whooping cough. The boiled root juice is used to stop external bleeding. Mashed root is good on boils and swellings, but beware of the odor. An overdose of the root taken internally can be poisonous, so use with great caution. Never take more than 4 roots when gathering, for the Snake Spirits may become angered. To eat leaves, cook through 4 waters.
Virginia Tobacco--A habit forming narcotic.

Indian Tobacco--Lobelia(Lobelia inflata)--Pukeweed-- Gagroot--An expectorant for asthma and chronic bronchitis. Used in itch ointments and as a snuff. Can be dangerous, as it contains many alkaloids, such as lobeline and causes nausea.

Ladies Tobacco--Pearly Everlasting(Anaphalis margaritacea)--Sage--Poverty Weed--Silver Button-- Used for smudging and smoking, treating ulcers of the mouth, and swellings and bruises. The crushed blossoms mixed with mint(for males) or marigold and/or prairie sage(for females) are burned and used as a smudge for paralysis victims. A tea helps relieve intestinal spasms and lung problems.

Sailor's Tobacco-- Mugwort(Artemisia vulgaris)--Good for healing Poison Oak and external wounds. Helps with nerves, diarrhea, and fever. This plant and White Mugwort(Artemisia gnaphalodes) have long been used to expel evil. Dried leaves make an aromatic smoke. Use the fine fibers in the root to make a strong decoction to bath the children and the elderly in, to strengthen them. Great to use as a hair rinse. Remember when gathering, to pull the root, asking the Spirit of Mugwort to assist you in healing. Do not dig this root.

***Collect these plants with great care as many of them have deadly look-a-likes. Only skilled medicine people should make medicines with them. Remember, any plant that has the power to heal you, has the power to kill you.

How to Plant Tobacco

Many Tribes have their own traditions for the sacred ceremonies designed to produce powerful abundant crops of Tobacco. There are also Tobacco Societies and their members are trained in the rites and responsibilities that are essential for the successful planting necessary to produce Sacred Tobacco. These ceremonies are as important as Sacred Dances and Songs for without powerful Tobacco, we would not be able to honour and petition our Father, the Creator God.
Many Tribes gave each family a garden plot for their Sacred Garden. Tobacco likes to grow in the same place year after year and likes to be fertilized with a compost made from it own stocks(not leaves). Many families would go to their plot together to prepare the sight for planting, in the early Spring. Women and Children helped clean debris. Then they would spread brush over the ground and set it to burn. Later the area was swept with sage brush brooms. The soil was then broken up, with the help of the whole family. Later the land was raked and made ready for the Planting Ceremony.

The Tobacco Seeds would be prepared for planting. With intonations of spiritual thoughts, songs and prayers, the seeds would be mixed with the droppings of Deer, Elk, and sometimes Mountain Sheep droppings. Sacred berries would be added to the mixture. The Tribes differed in their Sacred Mixtures depending upon the area they lived and depending upon the knowledge of their Tobacco Societies.

On the day of Planting, all family members met at the Sacred Garden, where prayers were said to start the actual planting. The men would take a planting stick, making holes in the ground, while the women follow and drop the seeds into the hole. A Medicine person or a member of the Tobacco Society would follow behind the women singing the Sacred Tobacco Songs. This ceremony was repeated until the entire Tribe's Tobacco was planted.

A Tobacco Dance and Feast would follow, where more prayers were said and petitions would be made by each family to ensure the success of the crop. Shortly after the planting the people would prepare to move on to their summer hunting, leaving their Sacred Gardens to the Greater Spirits, and returning for the harvest.


***Note ** I was taught to plant a Thunder Stick in the center of my Tobacco plot. A Thunder Stick is a Root , although sometimes, a branch is used, from a tree that has been hit by lightning. When a tree is hit by lightning, it is made powerful, for it has been purified by the Thunder Spirits and by the Spirit of Fire. Power has been directed through the tree and an intense electrical charge makes all the water in the tree evaporate and leaves the wood charged with power. When ceremonially planted with Tobacco, the Power of Thunder in the Thunder Stick is then transferred into your Tobacco, and the Sacred Prayers that protect your Tobacco are held by the Thunder Stick, to continually remind the Spirits of your intent.
Tobacco Recipes

If you are the type of person that wants to break yourself of the nicotine-tobacco addiction gradually, you might want to start by making roll-your-owns and adding a mix of herbs to lighten the tobacco you do smoke. Try any of the following herbs to make your own unique blend. You might choose to mix in only one herb or a combination of herbs. You may find that when you wean yourself from the nicotine infested tobacco, and mix your own, you may find a mix that will relieve some of your chest complaints. This was why we originally smoked these plants. Empower yourself and quit smoking addictive tobacco!

Nicotine-Free Tobacco Mix

Mix all of the above ingredients together. Roll and smoke. You can try different types of Sage as there are more than 750 species of Sage throughout the world. Thyme has many species as well. Favorites of mine are Nutmeg and/or Lemon Thyme. Play with this recipe till you come up with a blend that you enjoy. Anything will be safer than the store bought mixes now being used.

Let's talk Kinnikinnick

Kinnickinnick, Kinnickenick, Kinnikinik, etc., Kinnikinnick is an Algonkian word that means 'smoking mixture or something to smoke'. The dried leaves of the Bearberry, Bear Grape, Sandberry, or Uva Ursi, otherwise known as Kinnikinnik(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) was used for smoking and for ceremonial smoking, for Kinnikinnick calm's and brings clarity to ones smoking mixture. It was later used as a trade Tobacco. Still later, special mixes of Kinnikinnik were blended and sold. Popular kinnikinik mixes include plants like Sumac(picked when the leaves turn red), Red Orsier, Willow, Sage, Coltsfoot and others. Many people have their own blends of Kinnikinnik and some still regard their recipe as a Sacred trust that is shared, sparingly.

The Bearberry Kinnikinnick, is a ground-hugging shrub, sometimes forming a mat or trailing ground cover. It is an evergreen. The leaves grow year round and the berries can be found in the winter, if our winged and four-legged brothers and sisters haven't seen them first. Pink bell-like flowers bloom from May to June. Bright, shiny red berries show in August to late winter, and are enjoyed by mankind, winged ones, and the 4 legged.

Small, leathery leaves grow on long, red stems with shreddy bark. The leaves and berries have a high tannin content. The leaves and berries can be boiled for 15 minutes for a tea that can be drank hot or cold. The berries have been used for flavouring meat dishes but they really don't have much of a taste. The reason they were added to meat dishes was for the Vitamin content that they hold.

Bearberry likes well-drained areas, rather poor soils, thriving on gravelly and rocky outcrops. Sometimes it can be found in open forests and hillsides. Be careful when collecting Bearberry, as our brother the Bear loves the Bearberry plants, so it is best to collect the leaves just before the first frosts.

Using the Bearberry(Arctostaphylos uva ursi) leaves for medicine, is good for all kidney troubles. It strengthens the spleen, liver, and pancreas ailments. Removes pus, blood and mucous discharge from the bladder. Excellent for excessive moon flow and ulcers on the neck of the womb. Bearberry is a diuretic and a neutral tonic that reduces infection and swelling. Do not be alarmed if your urine turns a bright green when using Bearberry for healing purposes, this just tells you the bearberry is going through your system.
***Note*** The Latin, English and Greek use the name Bear Grape too, showing us that the Great Spirit of the Bear shared his knowledge with All peoples Native to Earth.
***Collect*** these plants with great care as many of them have deadly look-a-likes. Only skilled medicine people should make medicines with them. Remember, any plant that has the power to heal you, has the power to kill you.

Gentian Root(Gentiana lutea)-Common names include: Bitterroot, Bitterwort, Wikea, yellow gentian, pale gentian, felwort. Just dig it up, clean it and chew(a small bit) whenever you have the urge to smoke a cigarette. It will help your stomach and your throat. Fresh or dried roots work great. For a more affective healing, repeat this prayer,

Creator
With thankfulness I chew,
Gentian root to renew.
Keep from me the urge, of
Nicotine I will purge.
And with Thy strength flowing through me,
I will defeat this deadly enemy.
Nya Weh

As the name suggests, this is a bitter tasting root. You can chew it dried or make an effective tonic. When making a tonic, mix with arromatic herbs to improve upon the taste. It will purify the blood, clean toxins from the liver and spleen. Gentian root will improve the appetite, increase the digestive and circulatory systems. It can even expel worms. Good for relief from dog bites and snake bites too.

Calamus(Acorus calamus)-also known as Sweetflag, Wiken-Use an index finger length of root(patients index finger) and place in boiled water-not boiling water and steep root for 20-30 minutes, covered. Drink while still warm. Good for sore throats, colds, toothache, and has helped some with diabetes. Adults can chew small pieces of root. OK for children over 2 years to use(measure their index finger).

A tea or tincture mix of Gentian root(Gentiana lutea), Catnip(Nepeta cataria), Skullcap(Scuterllaria lateriloria), and Licorice(Glycyrrhia glabra) will work quickly to dispel the urge to smoke. Together these herbs will calm the central nervous system, tone the pancreas and stomach and alkalize the body.

Try a mix of Stinging Nettle(Urtica dioica) and Red Clover(Trifolium pratense) as a tea. This infusion will strengthen and heal lung tissue. Both of these herbs are alkalizing. They help re-establish the normal PH of your body that has been destroyed by smoking. Two or three cups each day will really help you.

Say "I am a non-smoker" 20 times, every time you crave a cigarette. By the time your finished repeating and reprogramming your mind, the urge for the cigarette should be gone.
You could also chew on the pith of Sassafras(Sassafras albidum) or the pungent flowers of Chamomile(Matricaria recuitita).

Use a Burdock(Arctium lappa) root tea to cleanse the blood stream and clear the toxins quickly. Magnolia(Magnolia glauca) and/or, Slippery Elm(Ulmus ulva) and/or Red Clover(Trifolium pratense) tea will cleanse and purify the body. Use the blossoms, one teaspoon to one cup of boiling water. Steep, strain and drink 5 to 10 cups a day.

Go on a diet of vegetables and venison broth plus a diet of fruit juices for a 13 day period. Drink copious glasses of water. Take a hot bath in Epsom salts once a day. Keep cold cloths on the head and suck on ice if feeling weak. Rub yourself vigorously with towel to increase your circulation.

If you can fast for four days and visit the Sweatlodge, you will be able to quit the tobacco habit quicker and easier. You will have help from the Spirits and the Creator for cleansing, purification, health and success. Combined with a traditional massage or simply a massage by a family member, will calm you and help release toxins from your body.

Chew sunflower seeds when you need a snack substitute. They are a benefit to your body as they are one of the best natural foods. They nourish the entire body, supplying it with many vital elements needed for growth and repair. Pumpkin seeds are beneficial as well. They help to rid the body of parasites and are most helpful to men, for they strengthen the prostate.

"How Flowers Fly #2" copyright Painting by Del Ashkewe, 1992.

The Humming Bird is the Tobacco Bird. In many Native cultures throughout the Americas, the Hummingbird has traditionally been associated with Tobacco plants as guardians and cultivators, earning them fame throughout the world and honourable names; Tobacco Birds, Medicine Birds, Doctor Birds, Birds of Magic, Rain Makers, LifeGivers, Suncatchers and more.
Wherever Tobacco grows the Hummingbird lives. These birds and the Tobacco plants are so related, that should the Tobacco plant die, so would the Hummingbird or vise versa. (We have already lost the knowledge carried on the wings of the Hummingbirds that are already extinct.) They share a soul with one and other. Both of these Spirit Beings, Tobacco and the Hummingbird, reside from the bottom most tip of South America, up to the State of Alaska and into the Yukon Territory of Canada, covering the entire lengths of North, Central, and South American continents. Many different Tribes have stories that tell how these beautiful birds help in the propagation and aid in the reproduction of Tobacco by transferring the pollen from plant to plant. They will even hunt harmful insects that might destroy the Tobacco plants, thereby acting as protectors of the Tobacco People.

Many tribal stories recount for us, how the Hummingbird helped acquire for us, Tobacco seeds, from men that got greedy and tried to hoard and withhold the Tobacco plant, the plant made so sacred to all the Children of Earth, by their Father, Great Spirit. These evil beings did not want to share the Sacred knowledge they could acquire by using Tobacco in its proper way, with their brothers and sisters. In this way the "greedy beings" tried to make themselves more powerful and wealthier, than others, by with-holding Tobacco. Seeing this the Spirits of Air, Earth and Water, met to decide what should be done. Many attempted to defeat the "evil ones" to bring Tobacco for all to share. Many failed. It was through the cunning and speed of the good-hearted Hummingbird that we have the use of Tobacco today.


Many of our Tribal Elders and Storytellers have stories and knowledge of the Sacred Tobacco Bird. Ask them! Learn these stories so we might honour our feathered brothers and sisters, by remembering the gifts and lessons they give us.
More Useful Trivia

Tobacco takes potassium from the soil into its leaves and stocks. When discarding the stocks, add them to your compost where they will naturally do another great service for you, as they will quicken the compost process and will return nutrients to the Earth to be used again. Tobacco is a Selfless Spirit, always giving and doing for others; never taking. Tobacco recieves and transfers thought in a cyclic and sacred way. (Do not use the leaves for this purpose as it is poisonous due to the nicotine content.)

Many People use Tobacco as an insecticide. This was never meant to happen! Tobacco is a life Giver. You are not to use it to destroy anything. If you have problems growing Tobacco, ask the Creator what you have done to offend Him.

Plant radishes with tobacco. The tobacco will protect the radishes from flea beetles and slugs.

If you are a store-bought smoker, please stay away from Tomatoes in the garden, as they are susceptible to diseases transmitted through Tobacco.
For people that suffer with atrophy of the optic nerve in the eye, try bathing the eye in a light Tobacco wash. Do this once or twice a day.
For people that suffer paralysis of facial muscles after a stroke, wash face with tobacco water. You can also wash the whole body with tobacco water, to help revitalize after stroke. Then rub Lavender oil on the body(externally), to stimulate paralyzed limbs.

Rubbing the juice along the tracks of the affected nerves in facial neuralgia(Bell’s Palsy) is most affective.

For people that have taken a lot of drugs, especially Heroin, LSD, PCP, soaking in a tobacco leaf (tea) bath or soaking the tailbone, helps to rid the body of drug deposits. Also drinking Chaparell(Larrea divaricata) tea once or twice a day or take in capsule form. This will clear the toxic chemicals built up in your body, which can cause you harm for years.
To keep your horse or goat free from worms feed them two or three non-filtered cigarettes a week. This is the best quit-smoking trick yet! Every time you get the urge, feed your animals the cigarette and heal everyone happily.

There is no need to run to the store for a remedy for head lice when you have tobacco. Just pour 1 quart of boiling water over two large handfuls of tobacco leaves. Let steep for several hours and strain leaves. Pour the tobacco rinse over infected hair and if possible let head set in rinse for 15 minute periods. Reuse the tobacco rinse seven times. Comb hair after each 15 minute rinse. Wait two hours before shampooing with a nice-smelling shampoo.

Prayerfully blow tobacco smoke into a throbbing ear to relieve the pain of earache. With Prayer and through the penetrating warmth of the smoke and breath, this can bring relief for parents and children. I used this in the middle of the night with my son’s as an emergency treatment with wonderful results.
A wet tobacco leaf applied to piles brings a certain relief.

Be careful men! You won't be the 'stand-up-guy' you use to be , if you don't stop smoking. Recent studies and doctors comments indicate that cigarettes cause impotence. So quit now, our future depends on healthy men (and healthy women)!
Tobacco Poisoning

In cases of Nicotine poisoning, make the afflicted person vomit to empty the stomach as quickly as possible. Give a stimulant such as caffine and keep the person warm. If there are signs of respiratory failure, give oxygen immediately and get them to a hospital! Asking the Creator for help, in prayer always is a powerful way to respond.

There are more than 4,000 chemicals in some commercially made cigarettes. Nicotine, Hydrogen Cyanide, Carbon Monoxide, Tar, Benzene, Cadmium, Nitrogen Dioxide, Ammonia, Lead and Phenol, just to name a few. The smoke acts on the brain, sometimes causing vomiting, nausea, and drowsiness. Tobacco is said to cause many types of cancers. Commercial Tobacco may be injurious to your health and that of our children. Do the next 7 generations, a favor; quit for them! Do your self and all the Creators Children a favor, QUIT the commercial habit NOW!

Medicine Teachings