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Resilience

This is a tender time, as we confront loss of what once seemed stable. Loved ones, jobs, and a way of life once taken for granted all feel threatened by something so small it cannot be seen with an ordinary microscope. Yet outside, spring is unfolding in all her glory, reminding us that life is greater than our own changes, and will continue past this time that feels very big to us right now. It is worth remembering too, that the plants know how to navigate change, and we can learn a lot from them about resilience, by sitting with them, and observing how they react to their world.  Just doing that eases stress and fosters resilience.

Finding Resilience

Resilience is said to be the ability of a system or a person to withstand and adapt to shock, sudden change or adversity. On a personal level it begins in the mind, heart and spirit. It comes from confronting life honestly, separating what we have control over from what we do not (I make a list on paper, for clarity); caring for the need of the moment and providing for the next need to follow, with whatever is at hand.  

There is an opportunity in this time of transition, to consider what we might not want to resume as the new normal emerges, and what we want to co-create instead as we all adapt to this change.  In making decisions as we adapt, our intuitive heart can help us be in our center as we quietly connect with it; and being in nature offers grounding and perspective.  Herbal allies can nourish the heart and nervous system, as we adapt to changing circumstances. Many of these are soothing to spirit as well as body.  A few of my favorites are…

Three mints and a rose:

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis).

It is a member of the mint family, that comes to us from southern Europe. Its name Melissa comes from the Greek for “bee”. (Bees love it!) Calming, Mildly sedative and antidepressive — what’s not to love! It has been naturalized here for a long time, and is a favorite for its soft energy, strong presence, and delicate fragrance. Avicenna, a middle eastern herbalist who taught and practiced during the middle ages, recommended it to “make the heart merry”. It nourishes the nerves and has antiviral properties, making it a favorite in times of viral illness. Try a cup of relaxing lemon balm tea as you stop the clock to unwind; or snip fresh leaves into a salad for added flavor and an uplifting treat for your spirit.

Rosemary (Salvia rosemarinus, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis).

This heady, aromatic mint is so easy to benefit from. Just breathe it’s uplifting scent for a boost to the emotions and nervous system! Or put it in your food for a little warming-bitter flavor to aid digestion, and lift your spirits as well. This is an herb I use often for those dealing with grief.  If that is so for you, try sitting near a live Rosemary as you sort out what you are feeling, and bask for a little while in its unconditional acceptance.   Rosemary is warming, so go easy in the summer if you’re a hot constitution, but it’s also a diaphoretic, and can cool you through sweating. This herb is considered a “blood mover”, so check with your care provider before using in medicinal amounts, if you are pregnant.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora).

Another “magic mint”, nervine and relaxant. Skullcap is one of my frequent go-tos when stress keeps a person in a state of anxiety that they cannot come down from. Tincture or tea will work, though the tea actually seems stronger to me. The trick with skullcap for high stress times, is to use smaller amounts, but more often. This acts as a tonic restorative for the nervous system, fostering relaxation without heavy sedation, so it can be used in the day time. A tea, as under “To Imbibe” below (it’s bitter — honey is fine), or about 10 drops of tincture, three times a day for either, is a good place to start.

Hawthorn berry, leaf and flower (Crataegus spp.).

This tree in the rose family is often planted as a border in hedgerows, and guards the edges of roads or where forest meets prairie. Hawthorn is a lovely herb that both protects and heals the heart (verified through much scientific study!), is also antioxidant, and can lower blood pressure over time. It soothes the inner, or spiritual heart as well, making it easier to settle into your intuitive center. I use the powdered berries in an almond milk smoothie as a daily treat, and sip a tea of the leaf and flower before meditating, or connecting with the natural world.

To Imbibe

Unless you prefer taking in a tincture as I suggested for Skullcap, pour one cup boiling water over 1-3 teaspoons of dried Lemon Balm or Hawthorn — or only 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Rosemary or Skullcap — in your favorite teapot.  (Experiment with larger amounts for fresh herb).  Steep for about 20 minutes, and sip.  Rosemary and Skullcap are bitter, and that’s part of their medicine.  If you drink them about 20 minutes before a meal, they will help your digestion as an added benefit.  Adding honey is fine.  Or…  You can dilute them in smoothies if you’d like.  If you are pregnant, avoid Rosemary except in in small amounts on food, unless your care provider says it’s okay. 

Herbs can support you as you seek a state of ease, so you can sort out where you are going.  Any or all of the herbs listed here are friends in times of change, and I leave you in good hands with them, as you go forward.  Until next time, I wish you wonder as you sit in green spaces, drawing on your wisdom in the company of the plants.

 

 

If you would like to learn more about herbal lifestyles and reweaving your connections with earth rhythms, click here to visit Joan’s events page,
and be sure to sign up for her newsletter.
She will be adding virtual  events soon,
and any delays or cancellations in previously scheduled events
will be noted as they occur.

You can follow her on facebook here.

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Earth Rhythms: Reweaving the Lost Connections

winter mugIt is mid January, and the world is grey today, with a magical cold softness, held in the now-damp air. Fallen leaves lie still, hiding mysteries that wait for spring, to be revealed in warmth and rain. I have reveled for a month in the pause that starts just before winter solstice, when Earth creates a container for the energy of darkness and cold here. It is a time of reflection, deep roots, and transforming in silence. I depend on it for health in the rest of the year like I depend on sleep for health each day. It is a time to indulge with abandon in the pleasures of warm throws, quiet dark, hot teas, and soft fireside conversations that reach deep. This rhythm of darkness and cold is one of earth’s rhythms on the prairie, and in these latitudes around the world. It is known by our cells, and held in our ancestral memories as a time of regeneration and community. It is a critical rhythm in the wheel of the year, when we can feed our inner wellsprings; yet it is unknown, or unengaged with, by many, many people.

We cannot wholly be disconnected from all of earth’s rhythms, or we would wither away, bereft of the unseen information streams between people, plant, and earth. But we collectively live out of harmony with some of them, and without conscious awareness of others, as if walking with someone who was a friend once, that we no longer acknowledge is there. Our cells, nervous systems and spirits miss those flows. It is clear from the awakening calling people to herbalism, shamanism and other pathways that connect us to earth, that we long to come again into harmony with the planet that is our home, and the other beings who live here. Doing that can affect our ability to heal in profound ways. This post begins a series of explorations about the rhythms of life that coordinate many of our biological and inner responses to our world, and without which we simply cannot get well. In these I will share a profile of the rhythms, herbs and practices that I find helpful in the journey.

The Rhythm of Winter

tree in fog

Even in this suburban spot on the prairie whose seasons have warmed through at least forty years of climate change, the energy of deep winter holds sway for a little longer. Without snow, without ice, but slow and cold for a little while yet, nourishing resilience in body and spirit that will feed vitality through the activity of the year.  Now, in this last two weeks before the half-way place between Sunreturn and Equinox, there is still time to nurture the seeds of of the year’s work, before the time of quiet dark fades behind.

Deep Roots

One way to connect with the rhythm of winter is to — stop! Do nothing. Turn off the phone and feel the warmth of air on your skin and sense your heart beat. The heart is the organ of the 6th sense, long suppressed now; the seat of our clarity and intuition.  Accessing this space in yourself often can help you override messages from the outer world, and clarify what you truly need and want — the realm of your heart’s longings. This simple exercise brings heart, nervous system and spirit together:

Heart Connection

Let go of your thoughts, and breathe in and out through your heart while cultivating a feeling of love for someone in your life. It can be a person, a pet, or the beings around you.
♦   See your inner Divine as a spark within.
♦   Imagine a bridge of light from that spark to your heart .
♦   Radiate love to yourself and the world for a minute, then sit in stillness.

Your own greatest wisdom emerges from silence.

Nourish Deeply

As the cold days roll on, melancholy can set in, especially if the days remain grey for long.  That’s the time for nourishment with winter roots and broths.  The energy of roots flows downward and is oh, so grounding. As they anchor the living plant, so they help to anchor us. Root energy supports inner work and the pensive inner reflections that are often part of winter. They are filled with micronutrients, antioxidants and minerals.

Vegetable broths that include a wide variety of vegetables along with mushrooms and seaweed, or bone broths made from clean, organic bones along with local greens and herbs are both nutrient dense foods that can form a base for soups in winter. Don’t you love the rich, taste of a soup on a cold day?

Here is a simple recipe that uses both
broth and roots for a warming, semi-sweet soup:

1 each small:   golden beet,  parsnip,  burdock root.
1/2 cup onion, diced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups vegetable stock
— or —
1 cup bone broth plus 2 cups chicken stock
A sprinkling of thyme, rosemary, sage, coriander and marjoram.
Sea salt and pepper to taste. 
1-2 Tbs chia seed
dash of nutmeg

Chop and lightly saute all the roots  in 1-2 Tbs olive oil. Add the broth / stock, salt and pepper.   Simmer until roots are softer but not yet tender.  Add the chia seed and herbs.

Cook until roots are tender and the soup has some body. Whole cream makes a nice addition to this in the bowl, if dairy is an option.

May you enjoy, and may the lingering days of winter offer you
time for wonder, and for regeneration.

Fireplace

If you would like to learn more about herbal lifestyles and reweaving your connections with earth rhythms, click here to visit Joan’s events page,
and be sure to sign up for her newsletter.
She will be adding more events soon! 

You can follow her on facebook here.