Daily Weekly Monthly: Developing a Rhythm of Herbal Practice

One of the reasons that I've written so much about the ways that we measure and observe time, from seasonal to astrological practices, is that there is so much to learn about ourselves, our world, and our interconnectedness through how we experience time and space. Within herbal practice, and especially earth-centered herbal practice which seeks to work in partnership with the land, sea, and sky as opposed to the hyper-commodification of plants as abstract cure-alls, beyond trying to connect people with specific plants there is a lot of attention is given to how one is experiencing time. It's not unusual to be asked questions about the length of time you've felt unwell, how much time you spend sleeping, time you spend working, times when you feel anxious, times when you feel well, and so on when in an herbal consultation. Many herbalists want to know not just about the quality of the symptoms and discomforts that have brought you into their consultation room, but the quality of time as you experience it.

Asking about time helps us to make recommendations of care beyond herbal remedies, including spending more time resting, less time scrolling on screens, seeking quality time with a mental health practitioner, and more. In my experience, most folks just want to decrease the amount of time they are suffering and increase the amount of time they feel well. So, we talk about time and the practices that a client might incorporate into their life that helps them feel more empowered by time and less overrun by it. 

One of the ways that I work with clients and students in developing a conscious connection with time in their herbal practice is considering when and how to use different types of herbal remedies. Much of this is just part of the foundational training of an herbalist: some herbs are more appropriate to take a very specific times for very specific time periods (such as immunostimulants and antiviral plants at higher dosages for shorter periods of time for acute infection) while other plants, like culinary herbs and spices, can be used more often. Additionally, considering time in your herbal practice is one of the ways that we begin to understand and apply preventative care in our lives which can go a long way in lessening and preventing illness and suffering while increasing a sense of wellbeing.

How do you think about time in your healing practice? In U.S. English, a common phrases used to talk about time include "time well spent" or "spending time.” While "spending time" is not a good or bad phrase, it can be interesting to experiment with other ways of talking about time. Instead of time well spent, which can feel like we are always meant to be productive with our time and time is simply another form of currency, I invite you to think about experiencing time as well worn, time well experienced, time shared, and time well loved. How do those phrases feel to you in comparison to thinking about time in the context of "spending" it? What are ways of envisioning and talking about time that feel empowering or oppressive? It can be an interesting practice to come up with different ways of considering time and creating conversations about time not only in the consult room but in our personal practices as well.

In addition to thinking about time in your life, there is the practical ways that we incorporate different herbs at different times. Below you'll find some of my simple recommendations for how you might work with herbs on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. These are simple guidelines that focus on general health and preventative care and look a lot different to an herbal routine for acute conditions. These guidelines are only one approach to herbal practice and are meant to help you think about the rhythm of your herbal practice rather than be prescriptive rules to follow. As always, work with your health care practitioners to determine the most supportive course for your unique health needs.

Tarot deck shown is the Moon Baby Tarot (2nd Edition) by Brant Palazzo

Daily

For daily herbalism, I tend to focus on two categories of herbs: nutritives and nervines. The types of nutritive and nervine herbs that I like to use in daily practice are ones that are not only considered generally safe, but are best used over a long period of time. Nutritives are herbs which have a strong nourishing quality, often containing high levels of vitamins and minerals. Examples of nutritive herbs are Nettles (Urtica dioica), Milky Oat (Avena sativa), Alfalfa (Medicago farfara), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), and Chickweed (Stellaria media). Many kitchen herbs (i.e. spices and herbs used for flavoring meals) are nutritive in value, too, and can be enjoyed on a daily basis. 

Nervines have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. While most nervines are relaxing, some are more sedating, others are stimulating, and some are considered balancing (i.e. nervous system tonics). I tend to recommend relaxing nervines and nervous system tonics though plenty of folks already include stimulating tonics (i.e. Coffee arabica and Camellia sinensis) in their daily routine. Examples of relaxing nervines and tonics include Milky Oat (Avena sativa), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), and Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata).

For many of my clients, one or two of these types of herbs will be included in my recommendations for them as having a daily herbal practice that is nourishing and nutritive is an important part of the healing process. Many of these herbs are also ones that students of traditional and modern western herbalism are introduced to early in their studies because they are such a foundational part of our practice.

I also pay attention to the ways I can incorporate seasonal herbs into my own and my clients’ daily practices. Chickweed, for example, shows up in the garden every spring and that's when I use it fresh in my daily tea as it's not a plant that stores well once dried (though it makes a lovely herbal vinegar if you’re looking to extend its healing qualities). Working with seasonal herbs is an invitation to observe and connect more deeply with the land and our plant allies.

Finally, one of ways that I feel-think about a daily herbal practice is that these remedies are the breath of my practice - a steady breath that allows me to meet myself, my community, and whatever the day may bring.

Cards shown are from the Dirt Gems Oracle by Anne Louise Burdett & Chelsea Granger

Weekly

With our daily practice established, what might a once-a-week herbal rhythm look like? Topical treatments like herbal masks and oils, steams, shower rinses, and baths are some of my favorite once or twice a week practices. Here is where we work with herbs a little more slowly than with teas or tinctures, and can experience more immersive sensations in our herbal practice.

I love herbal baths of all varieties and practicing self-massage with herbal oils is a simple and restorative way to not only support our nervous system, but nourish our largest organ - our skin. You can make these weekly rituals as simple or complex as you like (Make an altar! Light those candles! Write that time-sensitive email while your face is covered in Moon-blessed herbal powder and clay!), but think of the ways you can make space to slow down and be in your practice amidst the busyness of daily life. Some of my favorite herbs for bath and body are Rose (Rosa spp.), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), and Calendula (Calendula officinalis).

Once or twice a week can also be a beautiful time to bless your space with herbal incense or washes. One of my favorite herbs for burning is my local Mugwort (Artemisia spp.) variety.

For me, a weekly herbal practice motion and movement to the breath of daily practice. What am I moving into? What am I moving away from? What is moving within and around me?

Deck shown is the Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck in a Tin

Monthly

For monthly practices I focus on spiritual rituals and hormonal support. Herbs used in a monthly practice might be, but are not always, ones that have a more intense effect on our bodies and would not be appropriate for everyday use. If you are feeling like your herbal studies or practice is very much in your head space and you want to draw your practice down into your body, connecting with the plants on a less academic and more somatic level, I recommend creating a monthly practice as a path of connection.

As someone who loves a lunar practice, I try to make space each month for simple herbal rituals tied to certain lunar phases or returns. This might be a lunar bath, ritual, or gentle cleansing rite, but it is a time to step between the worlds and connect with the spirits of land, the deep needs of the dreaming body, ancestral lineages, and my own magickal practice. Sabbats and other special celebrations fall under this monthly category for me, too. What your monthly practice looks like will be entirely up to you, your spiritual needs, your cultural traditions, and so on, and if you don't have a practice like this already I hope you have fun discovering your very own version. 

In addition to a monthly spiritual practice, hormonal support might also be something you consider, especially if you menstruate or experience a monthly hormonal cycle. What these hormone regulating herbs look like will be different for each person, but in general, I love working with Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and Crampbark (Viburnum opulus). 

The monthly herbal practice is where we allow ourselves to be held by energies beyond our own effort, brought there by the movement and breath of our weekly and daily practice.

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This post is part of a series exploring some of the broad themes of herbal practice in the consultation room that started with Night Allies: Herbs for Sleeping and Dreaming. If you're looking for more seasonal guides to help you develop the rhythm of your herbal practice you can find them over here and you can also check out my series on the seasons of the zodiac, too, another interesting and mythic way of observing time.

I hope you're feeling inspired to explore what your herbal practice looks like through days, weeks, and months, and that you find the unique rhythm of your own healing path.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

✨

Cards Shown

Moon Baby Tarot (2nd Edition) by Brant Palazzo
Dirt Gems Oracle by Anne Louise Burdett & Chelsea Granger
Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck in a Tin

Thriving Everywhere: Self Heal Plant Profile

When I moved to Nisenan and Miwkoʔ Waaliʔ land / Sacramento, one of the first plants I noticed that was new to my eyes was this little purple flower that seemed to show up in everyone’s front lawn.¹ A careful look through plant identification books revealed to me that this was Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris), a plant I’d learned about in my studies as an herbal student, but not one that I’d ever seen in person before. It’s always exciting to meet a plant friend you’ve only read about and since then I’ve worked a lot with beloved Self Heal.

In the part of California that I’m in, Self Heal grows everywhere much like California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) or Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). It’s a common wayside herb and it’s healing gifts are tied up with the health of working people out in the fields, carpenters and farmers, laborers and Travelling folk. I find their energy to be steadying, their ability to inspire hope in the healing process enduring. Self Heal is a wonderful herb to work with and I hope that you’ll find the following plant profile of use to your own studies and practice.

Enjoy!

image source

Self Heal
(Prunella vulgaris)

Common + Folk Names : Heal-all, common selfheal, all-heal, blue curls, carpenter's herb, dragonhead, heart of the earth, Hercule's woundwort, hook heal, pimpernel, sickle wort, woundwort, consuelda, ingijbinaa

Tarot Cards : The Chariot, The Tower, The Devil, The Tens (Minor Arcana)

Element : Water, Earth

Zodiac Signs : Virgo (Guardian & Remedy), Gemini (Remedy), Aries (Remedy)

Planets : Venus

Moon Phase : New Moon

Parts used : Aerial parts

Habitat : Naturalized throughout Europe, Asia, North America, and North Africa. Often found in shady edges of woods, fields, roads, and yards.

Growing conditions : Low growing perennial that prefers moist soil and part to full sun.

Collection : Spring and early summer when it has started to flower.

Flavor : Bittern pungent, sweet

Temperature : Cold

Moisture : Dry

Tissue State : Heat, Tension, Stagnation (learn more about traditional western herbalism energetics)

Constituents : Beta-carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin C, vitamin K, zinc, flavonoids, pentacyclic triterpenes, rosmarinic acid, essential oils, tannin.

Actions : Alterative, antibacterial, antibiotic, antimutagenic, antioxidant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, astringent, bitter, carminative, cholagogue, diuretic, febrifuge, hemostatic, hypotensive, immunostimulant, kidney tonic, liver stimulant, stomachic, styptic, vasodilator, vermifuge, vulnerary.

Main Uses : Self Heal is one of my "how about a little" herbs, in that I'll come to the end of making a blend and I'll think "how about a little Self Heal" and add a pinch of it to the herbs already assembled. As Culpeper writes, "Here is another herb of Venus, Self-heal, whereby when you are hurt you may heal yourself: It is a special herb for inward and outward wounds.”²

One of the reasons that Self Heal is so useful and easy to add to many an herbal blend is that it addresses inflammation in the body in multiple ways. Reducing inflammation can be a key component to alleviating many diseases and imbalances making Self Heal so versatile. Self Heal clears heat from the body by improving the efficiency of the liver and kidneys, as well as by acting as a blood tonic. As a lymphatic tonic, Self Heal addresses stagnation and the issues that can arise from it such as congested and swollen glands, which can lead to infections. Finally, Self Heal addresses inflammation as an immunomodulator, appropriately enhancing the body's immune response and helping to moderate an over-responsive immune response. 

Many of the key indications for Self Heal are related to excess heat and especially excess stagnant heat which results in swelling and engorgement. Conditions like mastitis can often be helped using Self Heal both internally and externally (alongside other mastitis herbs like Phytolacca americana), as well as alleviating the pain of fibrocystic breast tissue, sore nipples, and general swelling. Other indications for Self Heal include pain caused by tension including tension headaches, neck, shoulder, and back pain, as well as dizziness and vertigo caused by hypertension. The herb can be useful in autoimmune conditions "as manifested by joint pains, low-grade fever, fatigue."³ As an anti-inflammatory, cooling tonic, Self Heal is also a good herb to turn to in case of fever (combine with Eupatorium perfoliatum to help with painful fevers). The herb is useful in damp lung conditions including wet coughs and congestion as well as more serious conditions like tuberculosis. Within Traditional Chinese Medicine, Self Heal continues to be used in treating tumors both malignant and benign and there has been research showing that Self Heal might be useful in the treatments of some cancers. In general, it is a good ally for processes of detoxification.

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Self Heal has long been used as an herb for all complaints of the mouth and throat including sore throats, tonsillitis, laryngitis, mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, and gum disease in general. Use as a gargle and as a tea, but it can also be applied externally as a compress to the neck. In fact, the Latin binomial for Self Heal, Prunella, "was originally Brunella or Brunellen, a name given to it by the Germans as it was used to treat die Breuen, an inflammatory mouth and throat problem, common to soldiers in garrisons."⁴ As I mentioned earlier, many herbalists like myself reach for Self Heal to help harmonize and enhance an herbal blend, but also help to tend to the emotional wounds that can appear alongside physical ones. Herbalist Deb Soule writes:

“For years I had felt that a plant with the name self-heal must have the gift of healing internal wounds that cause feelings of sadness, grief, despair, anger and hopelessness. I began adding small amounts of the tincture of self-heal along with other herbs to enhance the healing properties of a formula. Sometimes I add a few dried flowers of self-heal to a tea mixture to help facilitate a deeper, more inward healing process.”⁵

Self Heal was one of the first flower essences I worked with and it was introduced to me as the type of essence that most anyone would benefit from working with. Self Heal helps us to connect with the belief that healing is even a possibility. I like making an herbal massage oil with both the herb and essence of Self Heal, using it for general body care, reducing lymphatic swelling, and supporting the emotional body through the physical one.

Topically, Self Heal continues to act as a useful anti-inflammatory that draws out heat from wounds and injuries alongside its antiseptic qualities. Many of Self Heal's common names like "carpenter's herb" and "sickle wort" refer to its use by laborers working with sharp tools who were able to harvest this freely growing herb easily. Use the herb as a wash for wound care, liniment, and/or salve for bruises, sprains, strains, boils, and burns. Also a good choice for bug bites and stings (great to use alongside Plantago spp. if you happen to get stung by a bee or other insect when out and about). Used internally and externally, Self Heal is a good ally for hemorrhoids, piles, and ulcers, as well as acne, rashes, and other skin irritations. Use as a compress for back pain, muscle and joint pain, as well as headaches. For those prone to tension headaches, consider combining with Blue Vervain (Verbena officinalis) and/or Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). Self Heal is also useful as an eyewash for cases of conjunctivitis.

Finally, I want to share a description from Anishinaabe mashkikiiwikwewag, Keewaydinoquay, about Self Heal that so succinctly sums up the beauty of Self Heal's (ingijibinaa) healing gifts:

“If it has a nice place to grow in, a moist and sunny or semishaded place, this plant can grow to be eighteen inches tall, but if it is growing on a suburban lawn that is dry and regularly mowed, it can be two inches tall. In either extreme it will endeavor to put out its little flower and live a full life. As Kee used to say, ‘If a little weed can do that, so can people.’”⁶

Magickal Uses : A great herb to add to any healing bundles, spells, rituals, and charms. Helps to give courage to those seeking healing, especially those folks who have been worn down and feel hopeless about their ability to feel well again. Dr. JJ Pursell shares in her annotated guide to Culpeper's Complete Herbal that she was "taught to use self-heal topically whenever I was bitten in a dream because the energetic bite must be treated." I love this bit of herbal tradition of tending to wounds sustained in dreams in the waking world. While Self Heal was not recommended to me specifically, I received similar instructions on working with plants and dreams, and find that it's such a lovely way of helping the body settle after a particularly intense dream or nightmare. It is a very sweet form of somatic magick and calling the spirit home to the body. 

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The Self-Heal Personality : There are two key Self Heal personalities that I've most often come across. The first is the person who on the surface appears to have given up any responsibility for their own healing. They strongly cling to the belief that it is only something or someone outside of themselves that will make them well and that their ability to feel well is not something they have any control over. Sometimes this ties into patterns of addiction to substances, people, and experiences as a way to cope. Deeper beneath this is a belief that not only is feeling well not something they can access through their own effort (alongside appropriate therapeutic, community, and medicinal support), but that they do not deserve to be well. This wound is a deep one and often stems from early childhood experiences, but not exclusively. Self Heal can help them to realize that to feel well and supported in their wellness is a human right and to begin to question their own beliefs around their deservedness. Ultimately, Self Heal helps the to feel a sense of empowerment in being responsible for seeking, cultivating, and receiving what they need to feel well.

The second Self Heal personality I've come across is a person who has done a good amount of inner work, they have a rather secure belief in their ability to seek out and know feelings of wellness, and then something bubbles to the surface that they were not expecting. It may be a familiar pattern that they had thought they had already addressed but are now seeing from a different angle or an issue that they had not faced before because it needed to be uncovered by the healing work they've already done. Self Heal acts as an ally and guide in this process of understanding oneself and one's responsibilities even in areas of life where they believe they've already addressed it all. Instead of shame or humiliation or a feeling that they should've "healed better" before, Self Heal helps them feel humbled by the magick that is healing and responsibly empowered wherever this part of their healing journey is guiding them. 

Contraindications : Generally considered safe.

Drug interactions :  Avoid with insulin and hypoglycemic medications. Because of its liver stimulating qualities, it may reduce absorption of prescription drugs and supplements.

Dosage : Standard dosage. Anne McIntyre recommends an infusion of "two flowering spikes per cup of water 3 x daily."

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If you would like an easy to access, downloadable, and printable version of this and all of my plant profiles, including Self Heal, you’re invited to join The Plant Ally Library.

As you explore the energies of Self Heal and other plant allies, you might be interested in other ways of supporting your healing practice from finding your rhythm with lunar rituals, creating your own oracle of care or cultivating a healing daily practice with tarot.

May you thrive wherever you find yourself, growing steady into the spaces that feel like home.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thank you, friends. ❤

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Footnotes

1. There is a joke that if you take your herbalist friend for a walk where there are plants that it is less likely to be a walk with any momentum and more of a “Ooo! What’s that plant?” and “Oh! The {insert name of beloved plant} is looking lovely today!” stop-every-few-steps meandering. I say “joke” but it is more of a common reality for many an herbalist’s friend.

2. Nicholas Culpeper and J. J. Pursell, Culpeper's Complete Herbal: A Compendium of Herbs and Their Uses, Annotated for Modern Herbalists, Healers, and Witches (Portland, OR: Microcosm Publishing, 2022), 244.

3. Michael Alfs, 300 Herbs: Their Indications & Contraindications (New Brighton, MN: Old Theology Book House, 2003), 96.

4. Anne McIntyre, Flower Power: Flower Remedies for Healing Body and Soul through Herbalism, Homeopathy, Aromatherapy, and Flower Essences (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996), 186.

5. Deb Soule, 'Self Heal' Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners, Spring 2005, https://www.mofga.org/resources/herbs/self-heal/ (accessed March 2023). Be sure to check out the beautiful recipes for massage oils and more that Deb provides in this profile.

6. Mary Siisip Geniusz, Plants Have So Much To Give Us, All We Have To Do Is Ask: Anishinaabe Botanical Teachings, (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2015), 253.

7.  Nicholas Culpeper and J. J. Pursell, 244.

8. Anne McIntyre, Dispensing with Tradition: A Practitioner's Guide to using Indian and Western Herbs the Ayurvedic Way (Cheltenham: Artemis House, 2012), 106.

Liberatory Rest: California Poppy Plant Profile

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a beautiful flower growing in the hot and dry areas of the Golden State, covering hillsides in their orangey-yellow glow. An ally of the restless and a provider of deep sleep, I’ve come to know them best living up in the northern part of California where they freely grow on hillsides, front yards, and sidewalk cracks.

In many ways, California Poppy reminds me of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) which shows up in unexpected places, often in very low quality soil, and thrives. While Dandelion is known for its gifts as a digestive bitter, California Poppy works in many ways as a sleep bitter, helping us to process the stress of the day, release it, and move on into a state of rest and relaxation.

Ready to learn more? Come this way…

image via @megaanmarie

California Poppy
(Eschscholzia californica)

Common + Folk Names : Flame flower, gold poppy, copa de oro, dormidera

Tarot Cards : The Moon, The Hanged One, The Star, 4 of Swords (find out more about the connections between the tarot and herbalism)

Element : Air, Water

Zodiac Signs : Pisces (Guardian & Remedy), Gemini (Remedy), Aquarius (Remedy)

Planet : Sun, Moon, Mercury

Moon Phase : All Phases

Parts Used : Aboveground parts.

Habitat : Native to southwestern United States.

Growing conditions : Full sun in poor, well-drained soil.

Collection :  In spring and summer when in flower.

Flavor : Bitter

Temperature : Cool

Moisture : Dry

Tissue State : Heat, Tension (learn more about traditional western herbalism energetics)

Constituents : Flavonoids, alkaloids, carotenoids, volatile oil.

Actions : Analgesic, anodyne, anxiolytic, antispasmodic, febrifuge, hypnotic, nervine, sedative, soporific, uterine stimulant.

Main Uses : A beautiful wildflower that covers hillsides throughout the Golden State, California Poppy has long use as an herb of relaxation, nervous system restoration, and sleep for both adults and children. If you're looking for an herb to help reset disruptive sleep patterns but have found other herbs like Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) or Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) leaving you too drowsy, California Poppy might be a good ally to work with. I find it to be less sedating but just as relaxing as the other two herbs mentioned which can be useful for folks who are more sensitive to the effects of herbal medicine.

The plant can be used internally as a tea or tincture, but it also makes a lovely compress when it comes to supporting sleep. After taking the tincture, use an herbal compress (with a few drops of tincture added to it if you like) along the spine before bed to help calm the nervous system and bring on sleep (make it extra special by listening to calming music, combining with breathwork, and/or being read to). Of course, if you're struggling with a chronic pattern of disruptive sleep it's important to reach out beyond herbal medicine and seek additional modalities like therapy and/or bodywork to help you invite healthy sleep patterns back into your life again.

One of the ways that California Poppy helps us to get a good night's sleep is that it helps to bring energy down from the head to our roots, calm racing thoughts, and reduce pain that can come with restlessness. California Poppy is a nervous system restorative and when combined with other herbs like Milky Oat (Avena sativa) it can be used in low doses on a daily basis to help recover from burnout or a period of intense stress. Consider combining with herbs like Vervain (Verbena officinalis, hastata) if there is excess tension and a tendency to overwork or Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) if there is excess anxiety and racing thoughts. Combine with Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) if heart palpitations are also present. Can be used in small doses for children who struggle with hyperactivity and restlessness, especially at bedtime.

The flower helps to reduce pain not only as a nervous system restorative but as a cooling anti-inflammatory. Useful in cases of arthritis, shingles, hypertension, menstrual cramps, tension headaches, and toothache. Use internally as well as externally as a compress or in baths. Traditionally used by the ʔívil̃uqaletem in small doses for cases of colic in infants.

With children, California Poppy can be useful for restlessness and insomnia as well as bedwetting or enuresis. One of the indications for California Poppy for enuresis in children is "nervousness" but I think a more modern term would be dysregulation - there is a restless and dysregulated nervous system which can lead to poor sleep, bedwetting, and so on. California Poppy can be useful in the treatment of ADHD in the young but I highly recommend working with a skilled practitioner to help you formulate the right blend as sedating herbs like California Poppy can sometimes feel more disrupting than useful.

Topically, the herb can be used for inflamed conditions of the skin from acne to eczema. Use as a wash or in herbal baths or steams. The flowers can be made into an herbal oil and used in the scalp to calm irritated skin and help promote hair growth especially when stress is causing hair loss. Combine the tincture with St. Joan's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) herbal oil for a topical treatment for nerve pain.

image via @theeastlondonphotographer

Magickal Uses : Use California Poppy to help you achieve a magickal flow state for ritual, divination, and more. Especially useful when combined with Rose (Rosa spp.). Use in charms for bringing good dreams, psychic vision, and in trancework. A good addition to Moon spells of all kinds.

The California Poppy Personality : One of the ways of understanding the California Poppy personality is to compare it to Vervain (Verbena officinalis) folk. There is a tension present in both types of folk leading to a rigidness of opinion and belief. With Vervain folk this rigidness can be tied to more acceptable forms of tension (i.e. workaholism) whereas with California Poppy folks the tension is more often about the restrictiveness of the radical. They often start of as restless spiritual seekers, perhaps suffering from the insomnia of the soul, but find themselves becoming rigid in their spiritual seeking, often attaching to one form of practice, devotion, teacher, and/or school of thought which requires extremes in behavior. Their seeking is externalized (i.e. the wisdom I seek is out there in someone or something other than me) and working with California Poppy can help them to relax into their own internal wisdom, reconnect with their intuition, and rest deeply in the process. Herbalist Anne McIntyre describes California Poppy's effect as helping folks to "develop a more solid inner life" and I've found this to be true.

One of the costs of extreme devotion to outside forces is disconnecting from one's gut feeling of when boundaries are being violated or beliefs have become nonsensical to the point of harm. California Poppy acts as a restorative to the spiritual nervous system, calling home the intuition, releasing folks from the ceaseless wakefulness harmful belief systems (and the media systems that keep us hyperconnected) to come home to a restful ease of the soul at home with itself.

Contraindications : Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Contraindicated in glaucoma.

Drug interactions : Do not take if on MAOIs.

Dosage : Standard dosage.

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If you would like an easy to access, downloadable, and printable version of this and all of my plant profiles you can find it in The Plant Ally Library.

For the month of November I’m hosting a fundraiser for BIPOC herbal education. If you love my writing and would like to support a great cause at the same time, please donate if you can.

I hope you get to meet and work with the lovely remedy that is California Poppy one day or deepen your relationship with them if you’re already acquainted. What are some of your favorite flower remedies?

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thank you, friends. ❤

Of Rest + Worth: Skullcap Plant Profile

The two nervines - those plants that help bring the nervous system into balance - that I use the most are Milky Oat (Avena Sativa) and Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). Nervines are an essential part of my practice both in my home and in my wider community. In traditional western herbalism they are some of the most accessible and first learned plants that we encounter as students because caring for our nervous system and its vast network of experience and function is foundational to a body as whole and holy philosophy of practice.

Skullcap is always a close friend of mine and a beloved teacher, but I have found myself turning towards them with greater frequency in the past few years and especially since we all began grappling with our most recent global pandemic. They are a generous teacher and are a powerful ally in some of our most modern maladies, so I hope that the following profile on their healing gifts be a source of inspiration to you.

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Skullcap
(Scutellaria lateriflora)

Folk Names : Mad dog weed, madweed, Quaker’s hat or bonnet, blue pimpernel, helmet flower
Planet : Moon, Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto
Element : Water, Air
Moon Phase : Dark Moon, Full Moon
Zodiac Signs : Gemini, Virgo
Parts used : Leaf and flower
Habitat : Native to North America and Eurasia.
Growing conditions : Full sun with plenty of space and not overly rich soil.
Collection : Summer, before flowering.
Flavor : Bitter
Temperature : Cold
Moisture : Dry
Tissue State : Tense/Restriction, Hot/Excitation
Constituents : B vitamins, calcium, potassium, flavonoids, tannin, scutellonin, stearic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid.

Actions : Anodyne, antibacterial, antispasmodic, astringent, anxiolytic, bitter, brain tonic, cardiotonic, diuretic, febrifuge, vasodilator, hypotensive, nervine, sedative, spinal cord tonic.

Main uses : A powerful and deeply loved nervine within traditional western herbalism, Skullcap restores strength to an overwhelmed nervous system and accompanying symptoms of muscle spasms and nerve pain all while cultivating calm. For nervousness, fear, and a sense of being overwhelmed, Skullcap stimulates the brain to produce more endorphins in the system due to the presence of scutellarin in the plant which becomes scutellarein in the body. The herb is one of my favorite brain tonics as it not only helps us to develop our pathways of mental clarity, but acts deeply on the nervous system to bring about a sense of wellness and peace. In the USA we live in a culture that glorifies overwork (more on that in a minute) and being productive so Skullcap, with its message of balance and developing awareness between what we're thinking and what we're feeling, is an herb that I turn to often in my practice.

Skullcap is an excellent ally for those who suffer from insomnia, especially when there is difficulty shutting off the busy chatter of a restless mind - Skullcap helps promote healthy sleep patterns. Herbalist Thomas Bartram notes that Skullcap is a wonderful nervine "for workaholics compelled to work long hours with resulting mental exhaustion" and I can attest to this again and again not only for myself but for many folks that I work with. (1) The wisdom of Skullcap is that as a teacher they help us to reassess what pressures are appropriate and inappropriate in our work life, helping us to return not only to a state of mental peace but dignity in work as well.

(Am I suggesting that Skullcap is an anti-capitalist ally? Yes, yes I am.)

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The herb can be used for a variety of nervous conditions and imbalances stemming from hyperactivity including ADHD, anxiety, hypertension, nervous exhaustion, hysteria, neuralgia, premenstrual tension, and the effects of withdrawal from caffeine. In general, Skullcap is a gentle ally for supporting folks grappling with addiction withdrawal as well as withdrawal symptoms from tranquilizers and antidepressants. In my experience Skullcap is also an excellent ally to turn to for social media, gaming, and the new forms of online addiction that have emerged in our modern culture. The herb can also be used in general recovery from colds and influenza as well as prolonged periods of stress.

I use it for cases of fear, including nightmares, and the herb has a balancing effect on energy and emotions, helping both pass unhindered and appropriately through the body. Indicators for Skullcap include the collapse of the ability to hide nervous tension - folks are just not able to keep from the world their fears and anxieties which only makes them more fearful and anxious. Skullcap folk have a particular gift for embodying their thoughts, dreams, and possibilities but that means they can get caught up in the abstract and struggle with being in their bodies. Daily small doses of the herb over many months can be a helpful reset and support a return to embodiment. 

Skullcap can also be used in recovery from too much sun exposure, for indigestion with the presence of gas such as in the case of a nervous stomach, for headaches and dizziness, for fevers and colds. Irritability is a big indicator for the use of Skullcap as the plant helps us to release the build-up of frustration. There are not many traditional topical uses for Skullcap that I've come across but I do add the herb to anxiety and stress alleviating bath blends. 

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Magickal uses : Skullcap is an herb of oaths and binding contracts from business agreements to romantic unions. The herb is worn by lovers to ensure fidelity. Just as the herb is used to calm nervous conditions in the body, Skullcap can be used in rituals and spells for promoting peace and calm. During trancework, journeying, and astral projection, Skullcap helps keep the spirit secured to the body so that it is able to find its way back after the journey. The herb can also be used to help people ground in any situation, but especially post-meditation or after waking up from an intense dream or nightmare. Skullcap has an affinity for the Autumn Equinox, helping us transition from the bright half of the year to the dark half.

The Skullcap Personality : The Skullcap personality is easy to spot – they are intense, their muscles tense, and they are prone to overthinking. Often, their brow is furrowed, even when they are young children, intensely occupied in thought and their inner worlds. Energetic and quick, they can appear restless or overactive, which they sometimes are, but for Skullcap folk they are purposefully busy and often happily, if very quickly, engaged with whatever project or imaginative game they are pursuing. These are kids who enjoy problem solving in their play - whether puzzles or saving the galaxy from certain doom - but if they do tend towards more nervous energy and fears even if they appear brave and confident in their play and relationships. Skullcap folks can have a hard time feeling present in their bodies and can experience moments of disorientation whether dizzy spells or struggling to find their physical edges. They have to be very careful about frequent burnout and making sure that they take regular time off from their intense periods of thinking and doing The great gift of Skullcap folk is that they have an incredible capacity to remain focused on the theoretical, impossible, and seemingly unattainable, bringing all into the range of accessibility for themselves and their community. Skullcap helps them to access the balance necessary to help save the galaxy and also get enough rest.

Contraindications : Contraindicated during pregnancy.

Dosage : 3 – 10 drops up to 3 times daily of a 1:5 alcohol extract. 1 teaspoon of herb per cup of water. Small doses are quite effective and recommended with Skullcap.

Recipe : My Favorite Tea for Easy Evenings + Self-Care

(1) Thomas Bartram, Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine (London: Constable & Robinson Ltd, 1998), 394.

I’ve written about Skullcap a lot so it was about time that I shared a full profile on them. They are featured on my list of herbs and essences for empaths and highly sensitive folks and are definitely one of my favorite eclipse season herbs.

If you’re looking for more plant profiles, come this way. May your the path with the plants be a verdant, wild, and illuminating one full of viriditas.

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