Banana
Musa spp
Bananas are another phallic-shaped fruit that is ascribed male sexual energy based entirely on its shape. Far be it from me to argue with the doctrine of signatures, but banana's energy is much more gentle and playful than one might expect from something with such a reputation.
Banana resonates with water elemental energy and is ruled by Venus or the Moon.
Bananas represent the futility of clinging to material possessions and yet they are a playful fruit. Perhaps they contain within them the wisdom of children. Sliced atop cereal or oatmeal, bananas feed the inner child and encourage him/her to come out to play. Cooked bananas are wonderful comfort food that also resonate with delicate childlike energy and help us find the joy and magic in the world, unburdened by material cares. Eat a banana before or after your Yoga or other spiritual exercise practice to recharge.
Bananas are always harvested green. They will ripen in a few days at room temperature. They are ripe when they are yellow with a few black spots. At this point you may wish to refrigerate them to prevent them becoming overripe. The skins will blacken from the cold but the flesh inside will remain fresh longer this way. If your bananas are overripe and you can't make use of them right away, put them in the freezer. They will look horrible when you thaw them, but will be in perfect shape to get mashed up and added to baked goods.
If you wish to speed up the ripening of your bananas, stick them in a paper bag overnight.
Many fishermen and ships captains believe bananas to bring bad luck, either spoiling the catch or bringing misfortune to passengers and crew.
The banana "tree" is actually a perennial herb that dies back after fruiting and returns the next year.
The banana is a sterile fruit. New bananas are cultivated from corms.
The banana plant is an important staple in most tropical regions. The leaves are used as plates and to wrap items cooked over an open fire to prevent charring. Fiber from the stems is used to make ropes, table mats, handbags, shoes and paper.
The banana is known as the "fruit of the wise man" in India.
Two bananas a day are said to reduce blood pressure and encourage the production of serotonin, the "happy hormone".
Bananas are delicious raw, eaten out of hand, dipped in chocolate or on peanut butter and banana sandwiches. They are also amazing in baked goods such as banana cakes, banana bread and banana pancakes.
1 medium banana contains:
105 calories, 27 g carbs (3.1 g from fiber and 14.4 g from sugar), 0.4 g fat, and 1.3 g protein.
Bananas are rich in Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese
Correspondences
Element(s): Water Air
Planet(s): Venus Moon
Zodiac Sign: - -
Season: -
Sabbat: -
Deities:
Gender: Masculine
sex, spirituality, love, money, inner child, prosperity, fun, wisdom, innocence, happiness
Recipes that contain Banana
Notes from the Test Kitchen
Tell us about your experiments and experiences with this magical food.
