Tarot 101: Card Keywords

Mesquite: The Tree of Life of the South West

"I could ask for no better monument over my grave than a good mesquite tree, its roots down deep like those of peace who belong to the soil, its hardy branches, leaves, and fruit holding memories of the soil..." J. Frank Dobie, Texas Writer

Overview

The name mesquite derives from the Hispansized word 'mizquitl'.

There are more than 40 species of mesquite trees found worldwide, at least 90 percent of which grow in Latin America, principally Argentina and Chile. Although mesquite also thrives in other arid regions such as those in Southwest North America, Africa, the Middle East, Tunisia, Algeria, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Burma, Hawaii, West Indies, Russia, Puerto Rico, and Australia.

The tree itself comes in a variety of sizes depending on rain fall. Locations with higher rain fall note mesquite trees ranging from 40-50ft in height with a spread of nearly 40 feet or more. The branches are sparsely covered in thin feathery leaves with 2inch thorns growing at the base of the leaf joints.

This blog will mostly focus on Latin America; specifically in the Southwest Us and Texas.

There are seven varieties that cover one-third of the state of Texas or 56 million of the 167.5 million acres of land from the Rio Grande to the Panhandle, across central and north Texas and into much of west texas. Of all the US states 76 percent of mesquite wood grows in Texas. Mesquite grows in all regions of the state except the deep East Piney Woods.

Out of the seven varieties, the post will mostly reference Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa a.k.a "Honey Mesquite".

Map of the American South West and Latin america showing the range of Mesquite tree growth.

Native Tribes: Resource and Myth

Description reads: Salt River Reservation, Pima Agency Arizona, two Maricopa men(sitting) and Mojave Man in full aboriginal dress. 1880

Mesquite was such an omnipresent and nutritious resource and a central part of life itself that many tribes such as the Walapai, Apache, Papago, and Maricopa honored mesquite within their language and mythology.

Mesquite beans were the food staples for many of the South West Native American tribes. Through out the United states they gathered millions of pounds annually. In cases of food shortages, mesquite beans were often the only food source.

Much of the plant material such as fiber, thorns, sap, and roots were used in the making of many goods. The fibers were used for making of textiles and baskets. The

The creation myth of the Maricopa states that the Maricopa, Pima, and Yavapai -after death of their maker- scattered over the land and gathered mesquite beans. An Apache myth recounts how the sun and moon consulted with one another and formed the mesquite tree then hung beans upon its branches. The death of the Coyote myth of the Pima tells of Mesquite surviving the Great Flood and of how the coyote ate so many beans that they swelled in his stomach.

The Mesquite was an extremely important resource and was used frequently as an amenity of trade between the Apache tribe and the Pima tribe. When food plants failed during time of drought the Pima would travel long expeditions to trade goods with the Apache for beans and bean flour. With it, the Pima made dough and cooked it as round cakes. Certain tribes such as Pima and Opata also fermented bean flour water creating a bean beer called Atole and has a mildly intoxicating quality.

The gum, or sap, of the tree was used as adhesive to mend broken pottery as well as dye clay before the heating process. The gum when mixed with mud was used in several tribes spiritual and courtship rituals.

Both leaves and gum of the Mesquite is known by the tribes to carry healing powers and medicinal properties.

The Yaqui community in particular honor mesquite as one of two plants to have supernatural powers beyond most other plants. However of the two, only Mesquite grows in the sacred territory of the Yaqui and is said to have powers to detect and vanquish witchcraft especially if the wood is cut into a shape of a cross. One Yaqui myth tells of a "talking stick" made from mesquite wood which foretold death to all people baptized as christian.

Anglo-Texan History

Image of Mesquite Texas, 1890 showing piles of mesquite branches and horse drawn wagons containing grain or beans.

Historians believed that the mesquite was orginally limited to extreme South Texas and spread north only after the Civil War when cattle drives became frequent. Cattle would eat mesquite beans when grass was not plentiful.

Early Texas settlers facored the mesquite wood because not only was it plentiful but it also resisted rotting. Before commercial barbed wire came to texas in the 1870s, ranchers built sturdy corrals from mesquite-log picket fences. Travelers also fashioned hubs for wagons, wagon spokes, and small boat ribs from mesquite.

During the civil war, when coffee was scarce, Texans made ersatz coffee from roasted and ground mesquite beans. Honey made from mesquite flowers was especially prized. In the absence of pins, settlers substituted mesquite thorns.

In the 1869 Dr. John E. Park of Sequin patented under the no. 51,407 on December 5 for the use of mesquite bark in tanning leather. In the article from 1870 Texas Almanac, he included information on the superiority of the use of Mesquite in tanning leather. For, mesquite was found to be richest in Tannic Acid (a substance used for tanning) and worked exceptionally faster than previous methods because the acid penetrated the hide faster. Fast enough to seldom lose hide to decomposition. This allowed for tanning to be done in summer months, a process usually done in winter.

Medicinal Uses

*Note: not a replacement for modern day regulated medications and treatments.*

Aztecs made a lotion from ground mesquite leaves to treat sore eyes.

The Yuma tribe treated venereal diseases with an infusion of leaves and sap.

Comanches chewed on leaves to relieve toothaches.

The Yaqui Tribe treated headaches with a poultice made from mashing leaves to a pulp, mixing with water, and binding the mixture to the forehead.

The light-amber gum or sap that oozed from mesauite bark was mixed with water and gargled to treat sore throats, or swallowed to treat diarrhea, aid in digestion, and help wounds heal.

The Yavapai rubbed a mixture of mud and mesquite gum into their hair to simultaneously dye it and treat lice.

Modern Uses

Although ranchers still try to annihilate mesquite due to injury of livestock and cowhands, a dedicated group of texans cant get enough of it. They are mostly artisans who value mesquite for its beauty, the ease with which it can be worked, and the high sheen of finished pieces. Some even prize its irregularities.

Mesquite has a swirling grain, radial cracks, mineral deposits in the bark, and often many insect holes. Mesquite is dimensionally stable: as most hardwoods dry they shrink more in one direction than they do the other while mesquite shrinks the same percentage in both directions. It has a surface hardness of 2,336 pounds per squared inch, equal to that of hickory and almost twice that of oak and maple; and a density of 45 pounds per foot greater than oak, maple, pecan, and hickory.

Modern Spiritual interpertations:

Harmonizing qualities

Accessing the willingness to cross the wasteland of "dark night of the soul" to find deep spiritual richness within yourself and others

Comfortably connecting with others from a place of compassion and warmth

Standing inside a circle of love

Self blessing

Forgiveness

Possible use for Mesquite in imbalances

Emotional remoteness

Aloofness

Allowing others to see a coolness that actually covers an inner warmth

Feeling as is there is a barren wasteland or spiritual desolation within self.

Feeling separated and remote from others or self.

Personal Suggestion on craft Use*

*Disclaimer: subject to error and not a replacement for actual medications; allergy notice: mesquite is part of the legume family. Research trees and plants in area before ingesting random plants. Watch out for use of pesticides in public places. I do Not recommend diy fermentation. I do not support appropriating native tribes' traditions and rites unless explicitly permitted to by said tribe, do NOT trespass on Sacred Lands for resources it may be possible to purchase sacred mesquite from the tribes. Do Not vandalize sacred grounds or public trees. BE RESPECTFUL.*

Mesquite is tasty. Use wood for rich Smokey flavor on barbequed meats and vegtables.

Make tea from leaves

The beans are said to taste sweet and contain 30 percent sugar trace. Eat beans raw, roasted, dried, or ground into a flour.

Use water diluted sap to treat rashes. (Unless allergic.)

Use diluted sap in hair as you would oils.

Burn leaves and wood to smoke cleanse.

Hang mesquite cross to avert hexes or harmful craft.

I recommend buying from South Western Tribes and other mesquite artisans for bobbles and other wooden figures. Otherwise, source your mesquite in an earth friendly manner by sustainable means and only take what you need.

Information Sources:

"The Magnificent Mesquite" book by Ken E. Rogers

Texasalmanac.com

Desert-alchemy.com

Local Texans

Picture Sources: Google and pinterest

painted these two 🐝

the very first night // out of the woods

Had a very magical evening.. 💭✨🌿

(as always I apologize for low quality gifs due to tumblr)

The Astral Temple Meditation

The spiritual temple meditation is created to help foster your connection with your higher self. This exercise helps you to use your imagination as a tool for unlocking the truths of your subconscious mind. When we are working with energy, spirits, or the divine, our messages are delivered through psychic means from the energy sent to us from these sources. This practice helps to give a physical representation to that energy, and opens the message of that energy to conscious interpretation. With continued practice, this meditation will help you to develop your intuition, help you to speak with your guides, and allows you to create a safe place to gain clarity whenever you need it.

Spiritual Temple Meditation

Start this meditation by making sure you are in a quiet and calm area where you will not be disturbed. Give yourself time to work on this meditation and progress at your own pace. Do not force the visions you want to see, but observe them as they present themselves from your subconscious.

Make sure you are grounded, centered, and shielded.

Begin by aligning and energizing the chakras.

After these steps, start this meditation by imagining that you are floating in complete darkness.

Begin to walk forward, feel that there is solid ground beneath you and start to feel it become more present and solid as you walk forward.

As you begin to feel the ground become more solid, focus now on the darkness before you and see a spot of white light in the distance.

Keep walking towards the white light, and watch as it becomes a larger and larger circle until you pass between the darkness into the light.

Continue to walk forward, feeling the same solid ground and acknowledging that the light is not indeed solid, but occurs in bright streams.

Look between these streams of white light and see the shapes and pictures between the bright streams.

Keep walking and watching as the streams become more and more thin and see how a clear picture forms of the world of spirit you are now entering.

When you can see the world you are in clearly manifest, you will notice that you are walking straight up behind a spirit.

Observe the features of this spirit.

You can observe your spirit as it acts, from this third person perspective, or you may step into it and experience this new realm as your spirit in first person.

Notice how the vibrations of your higher self-feel, walk around your environment. This is your spiritual happy place and the dwelling place of your spirit in your subconscious mind.

Journal your experiences and feelings and the surroundings.

If you wish to go further, look for other spirits in this realm, these are your spiritual guardians.

Use this meditation to begin to build an understanding of the energies of your spirit and the guardians around you.

When you wish to ask questions of spirit, come to this space. It is a space of communion and safety! You can commune with your higher self, ancestors, or spirit guides here without fear, as it is a location sequestered just for you.

I love quick reference sheets! Best types of spells for each moon phase.

🔞 Sex Magic 🔞

– This blog is sex positive and LGBTQ friendly. If you are feeling uncomfortable about this topic, feel free to skip this post. Please unfollow me if you are homophobic or transphobic. – 

Here is a list of witchy tips to enjoy magic in the bedroom… 

🔥 Practice solo, without shame, to learn what turns you on, what gets you off and what you find uncomfortable. 

🔥 Focus on specific mantras while taking pleasure. I like to use this one: “I am sexy. I am powerful. I am confident.” 

🔥 The porn industry can be particularly toxic and violent, especially against women. Educate yourself about it and find feminist videos or female-centric erotic stories for your own pleasure. 

🔥 Use sigils to draw magical symbols on your own body or your partner’s. You can draw with your fingers, oils, or even semen / sexual fluids for a powerful experience… 

🔥 Learn about tantric love to understand balance, focus on mind-body connections and increase intimacy. 

🔥 Orgasms and climaxes can be very powerful for spell-casting. With a consenting partner or on your own, channel this energy to use in your practice.

🔥 Beltane (May 1st) is the witch festival of love and sex magic. If your practice involves sabbaths, read my previous post on Beltane to celebrate it. 

dark, sharp, and dangerous at every size

{dark academia women}

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