Nerve Soother

Tobacco

NERVE SOOTHER

Medicine: Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

Path: 24 Endurance
Directions: East/West
Vision: Thunder power without influencing serpent spirit within
Physiology: Outer body (nervous system), Inner effect (soothe)

Indigenous Use: Apart from smoking to soothe nerves, tobacco had a number of uses as medicine. As a painkiller it was used for earache and toothache and occasionally as a poultice. It was considered a poison and had considerable use in the practices of "medicine" by the shamans.
Other Uses: Desert tribes crushed the leaves and made poultices to soothe rheumatic and other swellings and to place on eczema and similar skin infections. The same material was placed along the gums as a cure for toothache. The chewed leaves could be applied to cuts or bound on rattlesnake bites after the poison had been sucked out.
Preparation: Smoke or chew dried leaves. Bearberry leaves added for traditonal kinnikinick mixture used in Native American ceremonies.
Availability: Found throughout North America. Should be organically grown. Commercial tobacco contains dangerous additives.

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