Plant Allies & Herbal Recipes for Headaches

Headaches are a pain.

(Thank you, sorry, I'll see myself out.)

Headaches are not only a common pain but a common complaint through the ages. Our ancient and not-so-ancient ancestors came up with all sorts of remedies - both effective and dubious - to alleviate the common headache with ancient herbals and folklore full of suggestions. Fortunately, there is quite a collection of herbs for headaches ranging from analgesics to nervines, digestives and circulatory tonics.

While there are many sorts of headaches ranging from the dull to the debilitating and occurring because of underlying illnesses, hormones, allergies, medication use, physical trauma, disability, and more, we’ll be focusing on those cause by stress and tension. Other types of headaches require a lot more specialized one-on-one care than can be effectively communicated through a blog post and if you're experiencing chronic headaches especially when combined with symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, blurry vision, you should visit your health care professional.

While I’m focusing on herbs for stress and tension headaches, many of the plant allies on the following list would be useful for all sorts of headaches since stress and tension are often contributing factors to whatever else is happening to bring on a headache. I’ve also included sensory overwhelm and general high sensitivity within the realm of stress and tension headaches as it is an area of focus that is near and dear to my heart.

image via @kkalerry

Plant Allies for Headaches

🌿 Lavender (Lavandula spp.): Lavender it is a wonderful overall headache remedy and nervous system tonic. Headaches and migraines brought on by nervous tension are well-served by Lavender as well as headaches that accompany a cold or the ‘flu. Indications include overstimulation, crankiness, headaches made worse by physical heat and bright light, feelings of overexposure, agitation, nervousness, and insomnia - especially for overheated conditions such as anger and irritability. A little goes a long way with Lavender and it works well blended with most other herbs on this list.

🌿 Milky Oat (Avena sativa): My favorite nervine, Milky Oat helps alleviate headaches by settling the nervous system and helping us find equilibrium. It is one of my most recommended plants to folks and makes an excellent addition to most headache blends. Indications include general fatigue, loss of hope and inspiration, stress and anxiety, trouble sleeping, and a general feeling of discombobulation in the body.

🌿 Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): Like Milky Oat, Lemon Balm is an herb that I find to be most effective when taken over an extended period of time. It's a great herb for those who have been sick and are trying to work through that post-illness malaise where body aches and pains - including headaches - are getting better but still lingering. It's also one of my favorite plant allies for headaches brought on by social anxiety and all those big life transitions where tension is high. Additional indications for Lemon Balm include chronic stress and desiring connection but struggling to show up in relationships of all kinds.

🌿 Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): A great plant ally for hyperactivity in general, including busy thoughts (including busy anxious thoughts that cause tension), restlessness that disrupts sleep, and people who are on their phones too much (contributing to tension headaches) and are looking for plant ally support for their nervous system as they learn how to look less at their screens. Other indications include headaches that arise from indigestion including a nervous stomach, muscle spasms, and overall body tension. 

🌿 Wood Betony (Betonica officinalis) : Wood Betony is a great option for headaches that stem from nervous tension. The herb helps to draw energy down from the head by regulating circulation so that heat and stagnant energy doesn't lead to pain like sciatica or neuralgia. In addition to general pain, Herbalist Anne McIntyre specifically recommends Wood Betony for trigeminal neuralgia or intense facial pain - but you should be sure to check in with your health practitioner if you are experiencing either of these symptoms.¹ Other indications that Wood Betony might be useful include dizziness, brain fog, and nightmares.

🌿 California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica): A great plant ally if disrupted sleep is one of the contributing factors to your headaches. One of the ways that California Poppy helps us to get a good night's sleep is that it brings energy down from the head to our roots, calm racing thoughts, and reducing pain that can accompany 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.

🌿 Vervain (Verbena spp.): A classic remedy for tension headaches and for good reason! Vervain can be used both internally and as a compress for the neck and shoulders to help alleviate tension headaches brought on by stress and overwork. With tension headaches with a lot of mental chatter, I like to combine Vervain with Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). Where there is lack of pleasure because tension gets in the way, I like to use Vervain with Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) and Rose (Rosa spp.).

🌿 Sage (Salvia officinalis): Sage is well-known as a circulatory tonic, but I would further classify it as a “processing” tonic in that it not only helps to move blood, heat, and information throughout the body, but it helps us to process these parts of ourselves as well. The herb moves energy downward from the crown of the head through the feet which is one of the reasons that Sage helps to calm us down, alleviate headaches, get restful sleep, and experience good digestion.

🌿 Peppermint (Mentha piperita): Headaches that accompany colds or allergy season that bring along sinus congestion can often be helped by Peppermint. The herb's circulatory tonic qualities help to move energy throughout the body, alleviating trapped tension that can give rise to headaches and brain fog.  Headaches caused by indigestion are another sign that Peppermint may be of use. 

🌿 Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus): A useful herb that can help to alleviate headaches that might arise after physical exertion including working out (though if you're getting headaches after every time you work out, something needs to change in your exercise regime or a check-up with your health professional may be needed). A relaxing nervine, Cramp Bark is often useful for folks where heat provides relief. Cramp Bark helps to reduce “nervous tension due to the gentle warmth that it imparts to the nerves and brain.”² The clearing warmth of Cramp Bark can also be applied to states of stress that are alleviated by feeling held and comforted. 

image via @aaroncook

Suggested Practice

I will be focusing on herbal suggestions for headache care, but if you want some more general recommendations for reducing stress in your life (with plenty of plant ally suggestions), you might enjoy my series on supporting our sensitive natures.  

The most helpful tip for headaches brought on by stress and tension is to take your herbal remedy at the earliest sign of headache. Early use of herbs at the first sign of a headache can be key to stopping a headache from fully arriving or lessening the length and intensity of one if it does show up. 

My second most helpful herbal tip is to begin to incorporate nervous system tonics into your daily routine. Many of plant allies listed above are also nervines (aka nervous system tonics) and can be taken over an extended period of time to help our body recover from stress. If you don't know where to start, Milky Oat (Avena sativa) is a good plant to consider. Of course, you want to incorporate other modalities like breathwork and life changes to alleviate stress, but naming your need and working with plants conscientiously with your need can be a help keep you focused on your path.

Finally, make it easy to access your herbs in order to take them regularly. If that means leaving your jar of tea or bottle of tincture on the counter where you'll see it each morning while making breakfast - great. If it's carrying premade tea with you - lovely. Consistency in using your herbal remedies is important. If you need to leave up post-it notes to remind you - excellent. In other words, it's important to drink your tea or take your tincture, so make it easy to do. 

image via @mary_borysova

Herbal Recipes for Headaches

While you can easily make your own recipes based on the plant allies I've suggested, sometimes it's nice to have a recipe to work from instead of having to come up with own from scratch. These are a few sturdy ones, covering a wide-range of tension-style headaches but with a focus on easy-to-find herbs and only a handful of ingredients.  

🌱 A Tincture for Tension Headaches 

A relaxing blend that alleviates tension throughout the body, helping to draw stagnant energy out from the head, and prevent or alleviate headaches. I've added an option of adding California Poppy which I find works well in small doses during the day without causing drowsiness. If you are sensitive to more sedating herbs, then you can leave it out.

• 1 part Wood Betony (Betonica officinalis)

• 1 part Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus)

• 2 parts Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

• 2 parts Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 1 part Sage (Salvia officinalis)

• Optional: ½ part California Poppy

Suggested dosage: 20 drops at first sign of headache or 10 drops up to three times daily.

🌱 A Tea for Tension Headaches

Some of my favorite plant allies for alleviating headaches all in one place. Pleasant tasting and easy to enjoy throughout the day and evening, this tea can be used on its own or combined with a tincture like the one suggested above (such as taking a dose of tincture at the onset of a headache and following it up with this tea). 

• 2 parts Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 2 parts Milky Oat (Avena sativa)

• 1/2 part Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

Suggested dosage: 1 heaping teaspoon of tea per cup of water. Up to 2 - 3 cups daily.

🌱 Nervous System Tonic Tea or Tincture

A daily nervous system tonic is so important when trying to reduce the frequency and intensity of stress and tension induced headaches. The following is a great daily tonic complete with vitamin and mineral rich herbs, relaxing nervines, and plants with a reputation for increasing our body's ability to access joy. I like making a quart jar of teas like this first thing in the morning, making it easy to enjoy throughout the day.

• 2 parts Milky Oat (Avena sativa) 

• 1 part Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 1 part Nettles (Urtica dioica)

• ½ part Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

• ½ part Rose (Rosa spp.)

Suggested dosage: 10 drops up to three times daily. 1 heaping teaspoon of tea per cup of water. Up to 2 - 3 cups daily.

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If you're looking for more recipes, check out my archive which includes stress-alleviating recipes like my favorite tea for winding down and teas for when we're feeling tired whether from burnout, sensory overwhelm or disruptions to our sleep cycle. You can also find complete plant profiles for all the herbs I wrote about today and many, many more in The Plant Ally Library.

For those who feel like their headaches may be tied to issues of sensitivity and overwhelm, you might enjoy Solace.

May you connect with the plant allies and practices that reduce pain in your life, sweep away the stress, and help you find a way of moving through the world that feels steady and hopeful.

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

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Footnotes

1. Anne McIntyre, The Complete Herbal Tutor: The Ideal Companion for Study and Practice, (London: Octopus Books, 2010), 159.

2. Stephen Taylor, The Humoral Herbal: A practical guide to the Western Energetic system of health, lifestyle and herbs (London: Aeon Books, 2021), 286.

The Waking Earth: Herbs for Allergy Season

Let's explore plant allies for allergy season!

There are many herbs that can help alleviate allergy symptoms brought on by seasonal changes and the pollen from plants that are abundant during the warming and warmer parts of the year. Herbal remedies can offer a non-drowsy, whole body approach to allergy season that help us navigate this time of the year with greater ease.

The most effective herbal protocols for seasonal allergies, in my experience, is one that aligns with the seasons, where remedies and practices build upon themselves to help the body¹ pull on the nourishment of the past seasons to move through the present one with greater ease. In other words, herbal remedies for allergies are most effective when used in conjunction with other simple practices (some of which are listed below) rather than used exclusively on their own.

image via @anniespratt

Laying the Foundation

For allergy relief, it's best to start preparing in the weeks before allergy season starts. We begin with lymphatics (e.g. lymphatic system tonics), add in nervines (e.g. nervous system tonics), and start incorporating general and symptom-specific antihistamines.

Lymph tonics start showing up in the land around us during late winter and early spring. All those wild and weedy plants that pop up at the end of winter and beginning of spring, such as Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) and Cleavers (Galium aparine), are a great way to start incorporating lymph system tonics into your daily tea blends. Overall, we're wanting to add herbs that are gently energizing and tonifying to the body including lymph system tonics, blood building herbs (which is an old herbal way of describing plants which help with building up vitality, including preventing anemia, as well as broader neurological diseases and early concepts of mental health conditions), and herbs that help get our energy moving after the slowness of winter. 

I also recommend that folks work with 1 to 2 nervines (Melissa officinalis and Avena sativa are two of my favorites) as well as a general antihistamine herb like Nettles (Urtica dioica) or Butterburr (Petasites hybridus) that can be taken daily two or three weeks before the arrival of allergy season.

image via @amylynngrover

Plant Allies for Allergy Season

Once allergy season has arrived, you can start incorporating more symptom-specific herbs. I've listed some of my favorite plant allies for allergy season below, many of which are recommendations from my book The Apothecary of Belonging: Seasonal Rituals & Practical Herbalism.

In addition to exploring the herbs below, when you can try to incorporate herbs that are local to the land you live with - local plants can sometimes help us adjust to our local environment more effectively.

🌿 Nettles (Urtica dioica): A nutritionally dense plant ally, Nettles is a great herb to work with in strengthening and nourishing our body. Indications include general seasonal allergies, fatigue, and adrenal stress. Nettles has antihistamine qualities and is traditionally described as an herb that helps to "build the blood" which not only speaks to the herb's iron content, but Nettle's overall nutritive and energizing healing qualities.

🌿 Goldenrod (Solidago spp.): Goldenrod is a great choice of antihistamine when allergies manifest as sinusitis, respiratory inflammation, and excess mucus. Further indications include asthma, stagnant digestion, adrenal fatigue, sore throat, eczema irritated by allergies (it makes a great salve for rashes), and asthma.

🌿 Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): A good tonic herb, Lemon Balm helps to protect against overwhelm, whether that's feeling overwhelmed by change, social situations, the effects of allergies or whatever else is looming large in your life. Indications include itchy eyes and skin (use both internally and externally as a skin wash or steam), hay fever, and sinus headaches.

🌿 Peppermint (Mentha piperita): If you're feeling particularly sluggish this spring, turn to Peppermint to help sweep away the remaining drowsiness of winter so you can connect with the energy of the new season. The anti-inflammatory qualities of Peppermint help us to breathe deeper, reduce the allergy-induced brain fog, and alleviate any allergy related pain due to inflammation.

🌿 Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): The arrival of Dandelion on the land I live with is a time of celebration! Dandelion remedies made during the spring carries the energy of the season throughout the year. A wonderful general ally for allergies, Dandelion helps to reduce sinus inflammation and expel excess mucus (along with the allergens it carries). Additional indications include neck pain, low-grade spring fevers or feeling overheated, and conditions that improve with movement (including receiving bodywork) and worsen when trying to be still.

🌿 Yarrow (Alchemilla millefolium): While you can use Yarrow as a tea, tincture or capsule, the flowers and leaves are one of my favorite topical treatments as a steam for allergy relief, helping to alleviate allergy related headaches, asthma, and congestion. I also love Yarrow in an herbal shower rinse or bath. Indications include water retention, poor circulation, low energy, red splotchiness of the skin, conditions that worsen in air conditioned environments, and exposure to environmental pollutants (including wildfire smoke).

🌿 Butterbur (Petasites hybridus): A lovely antihistamine, Butterburr works best when you start to take it a few weeks before allergy season arrives. Indications include asthma, hay fever, allergy-induced headaches, and skin conditions brought on or aggravated by allergies.

🌿 Mullein (Verbascum thapsus): If you've had a long season of being sick this past winter, Mullein can be a great ally, especially if there is a lingering cough. I like combining Mullein with Elder (Sambucus nigra) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita) for a lung-opening, immunomodulating blend. A helpful ally for those whose asthma is irritated by the increase in heat and allergens that spring brings. Indications include dry and spasmodic coughs, general lung weakness, and hoarseness.

🌿 Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina, avium): Wild Cherry can help to sedate hacking, repetitive coughs and can be especially useful in the evenings when you are trying to relax. Indications include a sharp, hacking cough, indigestion, and sore throats. 

🌿 Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata): Sometimes a gently sedating herb is what is needed in the evenings when allergy symptoms are making it hard to settle down and rest. A little goes a long way with Passionflower, but in addition to sedation, the herb also has anti-inflammatory and pain-alleviating qualities. Indications include insomnia, spasmodic coughs, and busy, chattering thoughts.

image via @anniespratt

A Full & Supported Practice

Once you've got your nervine and your allergy-specific plant ally, you can begin to add in other herbs to help to reduce symptoms, strengthen body systems, and provide overall support. For example, I recently recommended Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) combined with Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) for a dry, hacking cough that was disrupting a person's ability to work. Mullein works on the respiratory system, while a small dose of Marshmallow brings that extra bit of mucilaginous relief to calm and quiet their high and tight respiratory system.

For times that you know are going to be high allergen days, you can take a standard dose² of Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) in the morning for extra support. But Echinacea should be taken only a few days here and there (and no longer than 7 days in a row) because it is immunostimulating and can create stress on our immune system if used for too long. When taken occasionally on high allergen days, Echinacea can be very helpful in preventing more intense and debilitating allergy symptoms.

My additional recommendations are: 

• Use a neti pot daily in the morning

• Salt water gargle mornings and evenings (combined with oil pulling if you like)

• Change sheets weekly (and your pillowcase more if you need to)

• Use a physical barrier like a mask to help protect your respiratory system on high allergen days when you still have to go out.

While not all of these beyond-herbs recommendations will work for everyone, use what does, and consider other ways that you can physically remove from your environment and reduce exposure to allergens.

Allergies can be tricky, so it can take a moment to figure out what herbs work best for you. Having a general structure of preparatory lymph tonics and antihistamines, followed by a combination of nervines, antihistamines, and symptom-specific support (i.e. mucilaginous herbs for dry conditions or astringents for damp conditions) can be helpful place to start.

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If you like this style of an indications-based guide to plants, you'll likely enjoy the herbal recommendations organized by season you'll find in my book.

And if you're looking to connect with the seasonal energy of the year you might enjoy my winter to spring or spring to summer recommendations. I also have a full post on the plant allies of spring and how to create a spring apothecary.

I hope you found this guide to plant allies and ways to work with them to alleviate the stress of allergy season useful. May you enjoy the bright half of the year more thoroughly (and with less runny noses and itchy eyes) with your plant allies at your side.

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

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Footnotes

1. I use the term body here in its most expansive term including our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies.

2. In general, a standard dose for an alcohol extract (aka tincture) is 20 - 60 drops (or about 1 - 2 dropperfuls). Whenever working with herbal remedies, it's important to look up contraindications, adjust protocols based on your medical needs and either follow guidelines recommended on the bottle and/or the guidelines from your herbalist or qualified health practitioner.

All Together Now! An Herbalist’s Guide to After the Protest

Walkouts and protests are incredible events of solidarity and excellent fodder not only for the change that's needed, but for growing the community joy and hope that will sustain us. 

While I've written before about different ways to support community movements with an herbal focus including joining your local mutual aid effort or training as a street medic (you can find a ton of resources on my Calls to Action & Community Resources page), I wanted to focus on what we do after the march, the action, or the night spent protesting.

There are lots of guides out there all about attending a protest, what to bring, and how to protect yourself and your fellow protestors - which you should definitely read - but I wanted to share some of my after the protest tips which include the practical, the energetic, and the herbal.

The following is not an endlessly detailed treatise on aftercare, but is meant to be something that folks can read a day or even a few hours before a protest and feel like they can do a few simple things ahead of time to make their lives easier. My hope with my aftercare suggestions is to help you develop practices that reduce burnout and sustainably support your ability to be a thriving activist in your community for the long run. Solidarity, friends!

image via @couserjl

Before You Go To The Protest 

Things That'll Make It Easier When You Get Home

While it isn't always possible to plan ahead - because sometimes we just need to get out into the streets - when you are able to it can make coming home after a protest that much easier. 

Make Food & Rest Easy

If you can, have a plan for what you're going to eat when you get home. The length of a protest or march can be unpredictable and can involve a lot of mental and physical energy (including making a lot of little decisions throughout the event), so reduce post-protest decision making when you can. Know that you have leftovers ready to go, your favorite easy to prepare food stocked or where you'll be grabbing food with fellow protestors on the way home. Nourishing your body after a protest is key to longevity as an activist, so when able, make a decision about food ahead of time instead of when you're likely to feel too tired to do so after an action. 

Cut Down on Contaminants

If you think you're likely to encounter chemical weapons at an event (including tear gas and pepper spray), put a plastic bag right by your front door so that you can easily take off contaminated clothes and isolate irritants right away.

Sensory Support

Protests and marches can be sensory-intense environments and whether or not you have sensory issues, doing things before you leave like setting out clean, comfortable clothes to change into when you get home or knowing that your favorite cozy spot to sit and decompress is free of mess are little practices that add up to big support (and we'll talk about herbal support below). A protest is a big thing - honor your body's need to adjust after that big thing it just did - what an act of love!

A few more tips

✏️ Write down the local chapter of the National Lawyers Guild on your body with non-washable marker for your own use or to support other protestors. 

🩹 Carry a small first aid kit with extra bandages and medicated wipes to help your fellow protestors with simple injuries.

🥁 Small noisemakers are great! Choose your classic whistle or shake it up with a harmonica (laughter is important fuel for any protest) or kazoo.

image via @artchicago

After the Protest: The Elements of Activist Longevity

🔥 Fire: Feed Yourself
Support the digestive fires of your body with food that you want to eat, adding in nutritious extras as you feel able to, and honoring all that your body has done in the world today.

💧 Water: Hydrate
Support the rivers of your body with water, herbal teas, coconut water, or rehydrating sports drinks, either adding them too or choosing them instead of more stimulating drink choices, honoring the waters of life that flow through you.

🌿 Earth: Rest
Support the land of your body with rest, turning off unnecessary updates, getting cosy, moving and breathing in ways that help you feel settled, and honoring the rich soil of possibility that exists within you. 

🦋 Air: Connect With Your Community
Support the breath of your body with nourishing kinship, whether checking in with fellow protestors to make sure they got home, calling your friends, chatting with your partner(s), connecting with your elders, mentors, and mental health support, texting your family (chosen or otherwise), and honoring the breath of life shared between all of us. 

image via @erikmclean

Plant Allies for After the Protest

Disclaimer: Plants are not replacements for medical care and all information herein is for educational purposes only. If you've been injured at a protest or exposed to chemical weapons like tear gas or pepper spray, you're encouraged to seek out a health practitioner to support you. Part of being a protestor is knowing when to ask for help and reaching out to the generosity of the community you're helping to create! We got each other!

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The first few herbs are ones that you're more likely to find in tea blends at a standard grocery (rather than a natural foods market or coop) and then I list out herbs that are common within western herbalism, but need to be sought out.

The following plant allies are considered generally safe for the general population, but be sure to look up contraindications or work with your health practitioner before working with herbs especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, are on medication or have health concerns.

Herbs with '⭐️' next to them support respiratory help if you've been exposed to chemical weapons (CW), and should be used as tea or herbal steam after you've cleaned yourself thoroughly. 

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Prepare the following herbs like tea - either one teabag or 1 heaping teaspoon per cup of water and steeped for 10 - 15 minutes.

⭐️ Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla): One of my favorite digestive tonics for folks whose indigestion has been caused by a disruption to their day - which is what a protest or march is. Helps with Sleep. Other indications include general crankiness, gas, digestive cramps, and feeling like you need help "digesting" or processing everything you're feeling.

⭐️ Peppermint (Mentha piperita): A great circulatory tonic, Peppermint helps to calm us when we need to rest or energize us when we need to get moving. The herb supports the immune system and can be especially useful if your action took place indoors where you might have been exposed to more germs than you're used to. 

⭐️ Lavender (Lavandula spp.): For mental and physical restlessness that is making it hard for you to decompress after an action, Lavender is a beautiful nervous system tonic. Helps with sleep. Indications include overstimulation, agitation, nervousness, and insomnia.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale): A great all around post-protest herb, helping to reduce inflammation from all the extra walking, chanting or physical activity, as well as helping protect against colds. In addition to tea, Ginger makes a great bath herb or compress for pain.

Milky Oat (Milky Oat): My favorite tonic for the nervous system, Milky Oat is calming, grounding, and centering. It is a wonderful way to help re-center after the noise and motion of a protest.

⭐️ Mullein (Verbascum thapsus): Mullein moistens the airways and can be a very useful herb if you've been exposed to CWs. Mullein is often present in "throat coat" and "cold care" tea blends that you might be able to find at your local grocer. Throat coat style blends can be great for post CW care.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): If you find yourself with a busy mind and are struggling to settle down after a protest, Skullcap is a great plant to work with. Another great rest and sleep aid. Indications include overwork, exhaustion with hyperactivity (e.g. having trouble settling down), and brain fog.

Additional herbs to consider: Calendula (Calendula officinalis) as a salve or herbal oil for helping clean skin heal after CW exposure. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) to help the body process and release CWs. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on its own or in haldi doodh (golden milk blend) for inflammation from injury. Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) and/or Rose (Rosa spp.) to alleviate the emotional strain of protesting. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) or California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) to help with getting to and staying asleep. 

image via @linusbelanger

Recipes 

☕️ Bliss Blend remains a perennial favorite for grounding and centering after a period of intensity. 

🫖 My Tea for the Tired post offers three different recipes:

• Gentle Buzz: For those struggling with social burnout, a tea to help settle the nervous system and help us feel connection without overwhelm.

• Lush Cloud: For those needing a soft place to land and looking to restore their sleep cycles after a period of stress.

• Wellspring: For those whose creativity or hope feels dulled by chronic stress, a tea blend to help refill the well of inspiration.

🌻 For practitioners looking to support their community and folks wanting more resources, I wrote a series on herbal practices for highly sensitive folks that is essentially a guide to taking care of our nervous system and sensory practices that help us reduce overwhelm. The necessity of large-scale protests means that we're all swimming through intense times where extra attention to our nervous system and sensory environment will benefit us in the long run, so you might find these simple suggestions useful.

Additional Resources

Calls to Action & Community Resources
For more in-depth guides to mutual aid, herbal street medicine and clinics, becoming an constitutional observer, and more

Preparing for, Protecting Against, and Treating Tear Gas and Other Chemical Irritant Exposure: A Protestor’s Guide
~ Physician's for Human Rights ~

So You Got Teargassed? Herbal Self-Care After Exposure to Chemical Weapons
~ Missy Rohs ~

Read This When Things Fall Apart: Letters to Activists in Crisis
~ Kelly Hayes ~

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I hope you found my quick guide to after the protest useful and that it inspires you to think about the ways that you can support yourself and your community as we work together for a more just, more kind world.

And, if you were wondering why I included images of quilts for this post, I wanted to represent not only how we’re all stitched together in this, but to celebrate the often invisible but essential work of women - tireless quilters of community - that are behind so much organizing. Blessed be the quiltmakers & the peacemakers!

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

Winter's Herbal Magick: Making Traditional & Modern Folk Charms

I've lived through all sorts of winters - from the mild winters of the southlands to the deep winters in the northeast kingdom and a lot of winter lands in-between. It's in these winter months that some of my most cherished memories have been made - from the way that gatherings feel like a triumph in a snow-dense city to mild sunny days of exchanging gifts to the exhilaration of the most familiar places becoming something new and unfamiliar beneath a layer of frost. Winter reminds me of how dependent we are on one another - and that feels like an empowering spell of connection that I'm always eager to learn more from. 

In the fourth part of my Seasonal Magick series we'll be exploring three folk spell traditions, incorporating plant allies of winter to aid us in our magick. From a witch's ladder that connects us to our ancestors to a witch's bundle to invite in rest and a witch's bottle for growing hope, these three herbal charms are easy to make, tap into our legacy as magickal practitioners, and help us to connect with the energy of the season. To find the full introduction to this series and why I love simple folk magick so much, including additional insight into each of the three traditional charms we'll be exploring, come this way.

So let's explore how we can create witch's ladders, bundles, and bottles as one of the ways to connect with the seasonal rhythms of the year and our beloved plant allies.

The Witch's Ladder

Traditionally made of woolen cord, rope, woven thread or hair and knotted with items like feathers, holed stones, sticks and bits of metal, witch's ladders are a beautiful form of magick that combine charm-making with knot magick and weaving spells. The witch's ladder has remained popular among modern practitioners, supported in part by the Priestess Doreen Valiente's Spell of the Cord, an inspired modern variation of older forms of spoken knot magick. Energetically, they can act like a net, gathering up energy to hold in place and to either be drawn upon (in the case of beneficial energy) or released elsewhere (in the case of baneful energy).

A Witch's Ladder To Honor Ancestors

Winter starts with the end of the bright half of the year at Samhain, where the land of the living and the lands of the dead mingle. For the next few weeks, the wild hunt rides the sky, finding lost souls and bringing them to the feast table at Midwinter - reminding us that no one is ever truly lost and that there is room for all at the table. I embrace the ways that the dark days of winter can make it easier to connect with those who have gone before and my favorite style of witch's ladder for winter is one that reminds us of our connections to our ancestors.

In the Anglo-Saxon tradition, of which the traditional western herbalism that I practice partially descends from, Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is honored as "Una, oldest of herbs."¹ An herb of dreams and visions, Mugwort is primarily used as a uterine tonic in traditional western herbalism, a place that sits at the crossroads between life, death, and renewal in the body. For ancestral practice, working with Mugwort feels like tugging at the web of life and to feel your ancestors tugging back. Of course, if there is a significant ancestral herb in your practice that you'd rather incorporate than Mugwort, please do, or incorporate it alongside Mugwort.

I love the silver and feathery leaves of Mugwort, how they mimic the feathers traditionally used in witch's ladders of generations past, but if you are only able to find the crushed herb simply tie it up in bundles to tie to your ladder. 

A Mugwort Charm

Una, eldest
Ancestors wise
Hearts connect
For the soul never dies

As already mentioned, in addition to Mugwort I encourage you to use herbs from your ancestral line. Other ancient plants, which act as collective ancestors to our species, include Rose (Rosa spp.) and Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). You can also bring in the colors of winter, including red berries and green leafy branches of Uva Ursi or Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) and other evergreens. Consider adding charms that connect you to specific ancestors (both mighty and beloved) as well as cultural traditions your ancestors would've been familiar with. 

Creating Your Ladder

To create a witch's ladder use cord, thread or yarn to braid or not your chosen objects into a long hanging cord. How long you make your witch's ladder is up to you, but I find that they work better when shorter when being hung outside and can be a bit longer when keeping it inside. I like to start by laying out all objects I'll be tying into my witch's ladder before me on my altar, blessing them with the four elements of fire (candle light), air (incense), water (water infused with flower essences or salt), and earth (sprinkling herbs over the items or laying the items on a stone surface). I like to use some variation of a cord charm when knotting my items, like Valiente's or the one written above, changing the language for my needs. 

Once all items are added, the witch's ladder can be hung up by an altar, window or door. For a spring witch's ladder I like to make ones that'll either hang just outside my door or beside a window, so that the ladder is able to dance in spring's winds.

You can add extra magick to your summer witch's ladder, by placing it in a sunny spot at the height of noon for a few minutes to charge up - better yet is it is surrounded by a circle of quartz crystals. Over the next year, I like to use pass my witch's ladder over my deck of tarot cards or other divinatory tool before doing a reading when I feel like I need an extra boost of illuminating clarity.

The Witch's Bundle

The simplest of our three traditional folk magick charms, a witch's bundle is a collection of exclusively or mostly plants with other items (such as old skeleton keys, a nice stick, a hunk of rock) tied up together and hung up above a door (or bed or other auspicious place). Witch's bundles, like all of the magickal crafts listed here, can be endlessly personalized to match your need, your aesthetic preferences, and reflect your relationships. If you're studying a particular plant ally you might include them in your witch's bundle (if the herb has already been dried and processed, you can add some into a little pouch and tie it to your bundle). If you are working with a deity that is fond of one particular color, choose that color of cloth or string to tie up your bundle. If you're a cool goth witch, add the skulls and gothic crosses to your bundle of dried Rose (Rosa spp.). Let yourself enjoy the process of finding your creative magickal expression - it helps you understand better what it you're using magick for in the first place.

The Witch's Bundle To Invite In Rest

Learning how to work with the tides of magick flowing through the year, is to work with the flow of seasonal energy, softening the edges of counter-current in our life as much as possible. Winter is a time of rest, of long nights filled with longer stories, and finding one another in the dark. For winter, I like to create witch's bundles that help me invite rest into my life as an honored guest instead of trying to outpace them through overwork.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is an excellent plant ally for the overworked, the overtired, and the cranky - and given that many of our winters can be filled with an excess of social obligations, it's a great ally for the season. One of the healing gifts of Chamomile is its relaxing influence on the nervous system, making it a popular before-bed tea (the fact that it's an excellent post-meal digestive aid helps, too). I love that Chamomile looks like sweet little suns, a perfect addition to Midwinter festivities of welcoming back the tiniest star of light during the longest night of the year. Chamomile, as a plant ally of rest, helps us to soften habits of pushing past our limits of rest to find ourselves irritated, angry, and exhausted and draws us towards reconnection to our inner cues for rest.

A Chamomile Charm

Every night, every day
I honor rest along my way
Every blossom, every light
I call in rest each day, each night

Additional herbs to consider include Lavender (Lavandula spp.) and Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis). Adding items that help you feel restful and relaxed, from cozy scents to using restful colors, as well as including symbols like moons, stars, and other objects that represent rest and stones that exude a restful aura like Moonstone and Amethyst. 

Creating Your Bundle

Bless all your objects as described in the above section "Creating Your Ladder." Once you've collected all of your items (such as a few sprigs of Rosemary), use a colored thread or ribbon of choice to tie up your bundle. I like to tie the top part and leave the rest loose, but you can tie up everything from top to bottom. The advantage of the latter technique is that you can tie larger objects inside the bundle, even hiding them from view if that's your preference. Once tied up, hang the bundle above an altar, door, or window. 

The Witch's Bottle

Traditionally, witch's bottles or jars were buried or hidden away from view in the back of cupboards, sometimes even between walls, beneath floors, or high up in the attics. They embody the magickal practice of doing the work and then letting it be, allowing the magick to continue to unfold in its own time. Sometimes jars are made for a short period of need (such as a honey jar for attracting a job) and then the contents are offered back to the earth, while others are more permanent and meant to be mostly forgotten. Other times, jars and their contents can be renewed on a regular basis (such as at the Full Moons or the sabbats). Energetically, witch's bottles tend to act like generators, helping to generate an outcome or a specific type of energy.

A Witch's Bottle To Grow Hope

The long dark of winter can be a stark reminder of how vulnerable all of us and all the places and people we love are. It feels especially challenging to try to cultivate hope during times we are living through (fighting through, struggling through) right now. There isn't any single magickal herb that can force hope to grow in our exhausted spirits. But hope is a practice, and plants are allies, and we can create reminders around and within us to practice our hope, connect with allies - plants and beyond - and let hope flow through us and into the lives of others as the infinite resource that it is.

Milky Oat (Avena sativa) is not just one of my favorite nervous system tonics, it is one of my most beloved plant allies for hope. The common herb is one of the best nervines I know, helping to restore the nervous system after a period of stress - it is probably one of the most commonly recommended herbs in my practice - and it has been used for centuries within traditional western herbalism to help alleviate suffering brought on by emotional and mental distress. Working with Milky Oat feels like carrying seeds of possibility in our hearts, helping us to connect with our resilience, and in its wild wisdom, drawing us towards the people and places that have the most space for us. 

A Milky Oat Charm

A wild seed of hope
planted in my heart
Fed with the nectar of love

Every darkness bright
With the promise of a star
Held up with the strength of love

Other herbs to consider are Linden (Tilia x europaea), Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), and Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). I love adding stones and flowers and anything into this jar that makes me smile and makes me want to pause and spend a moment in gratitude (a hope-generating practice). 

Creating Your Bottle

Bless all your objects as described in the above section "Creating Your Ladder." Make sure you have a tight sealing bottle or jar so to prevent items from leaking out if you are using any fluids or from pests getting in. Add your herbs and charms in one-by-one, naming their purpose as you go, and then you can seal your jar with wax or tie it up with ribbon to seal in or bind up the magick. Once completed choose where your bottle is going to live, whether in the house, mode of transportation, place of school or work or buried (especially good for banishing magick, though make sure all items are biodegradable).

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For more herbal inspiration for your summer, how about creating your own winter wellness apothecary? Or a might-do list for the Winter Solstice? I also explore more of winter’s plant allies, healing paths, and magickal ways over here. I’ve also written about some of my favorite plant allies for winter travels.

I hope you’ve found inspiration for your own winter magickal practices and feel a little more connected to season of slowing down and exploring within.

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

📚

Footnotes

1.  J. S. Hopkins, "Nigon wyrta galdor, popularly known as the Nine Herbs Charm: a new annotated and illustrated translation," 2020, https://www.mimisbrunnr.info/nigon-wyrta-galdor (accessed July 2022).

Herbs for Highly Sensitive People: Monthly Herbal Practices for Wellbeing

We've explored daily and weekly practices, now it's time to look at the monthly practices with our herbal allies that can help keep us centered and connected as highly sensitive people. Monthly practices might take a little more effort, but as they are only meant to happen once a month and carry us through to the next month (or lunar cycle as I like to use to mark time) they can be well worth the time. 

For me, these monthly practices are like gifts for my future self as they often involve planning ahead for the next monthly cycle (where my future self is already waiting). They also act like an energetic tuning fork, helping me to retune and reconnect with the subtle practices that help me stay steady and in kinship with all that I love - something which feels more and more needful as we continue through this long season of organizing for a more just and kind world.¹ Ultimately, I try and shape my monthly practices to be something I look forward to and I hope that the following list of ideas will inspire your own monthly places of pause and restoration.

image via @thefinalshot

Through the Herbs for Highly Sensitive People series we'll be exploring ways of creating these little zones of peace throughout our days, weeks, and months, making space for us to reconnect with our sensitivity in ways that feel empowering. Herbalism is a sensory rich healing tradition, full of sights, scents, tastes, and sensations, that draws us back into the collective wisdom pooled in our body and pulled up by our plant allies. Working with plants is one way that we, as sensitive folks, can honor the sensitive ways of our body by strengthening a resilience that reconnects while alleviating the symptoms of overstimulation. 

When I write of the body, I am referring to the body in its most expansive form including the physical, emotional, mental, and mythological body. I'm not trying to describe the emotional body as a separate part from the physical body, but rather that our bodies have emotional experiences intertwined with physical experiences intertwined with mental and mythological  experiences. Part of the practice of highly sensitive people is to explore through our bodies what we have been asked or forced to separate rather than create a healthy boundary. Being called "too sensitive" over and over again, for example, asks us to separate from our very real lived experience instead of creating healthy boundaries that help us feel less overwhelmed by our depth of feeling.

And for those who might balk at the term "highly sensitive" but find yourself reflected in a lot of the descriptions of high sensitivity - I feel you on that - and you might want to check out my first post in this series exploring some of the limitations of the "highly sensitive" moniker and how folks like Chris D. Hooten have proposed more culturally expansive and inclusive terms like highly responsive to your environment or HREs. I really like the term HRE and I highly encourage you to give Hooten's article a read.

I hope that these simple practices will fit in alongside any mental health services, community support groups, and the general network of good company in your friends and family. Plant medicine thrives as a stress-reducing, nervous system reparative, and preventative modality while helping us to return to a more earth-centered and affirming way of being in the world - a great path for any highly sensitive person to be on.

Monthly Herbal Practices for Highly Sensitive People

image via @micmurph12

Take Stock of Your Apothecary

Throughout our Herbs for Highly Sensitive People series I've recommended various types of herbal remedies to consider as part of your regular routine. Hopefully you'll have a few key remedies on hand to bring with you on outings, keep at school or work, or in your home apothecary. These will inevitably run out if they prove useful so having a regular check once-a-month to see if something needs restocking is a good practice to have. It feels much better to have your favorite anxiety-reducing tea on hand when you need it rather than having to scramble to blend together or buy more of it when you really need it.

I'll be honest that I haven't always had a good restocking practice for my home apothecary. For the first few years of my herbal business I made and sold remedies at markets and online, but after closing that part of my business - which required a lot of detailed stock management - it was difficult to find pleasure in maintaining my own personal apothecary. Looking back now I recognize that I was also burnt out after years of intense remedy making, packaging, shipping, and all the administrative work that goes along with it, so it makes sense that this essential part of my personal care would feel overwhelming. Slowly I built up a ritual around it, tying my apothecary check-ins with the lunar cycles and the seasons of the year, lighting candles, singing spell songs, and finding gratefulness in being able to work with these remedies on a daily basis. Some practices need some enchanting to feel sweet again especially if they are necessary but feel a bit tedious. 

I also think that there is a beauty in regularly, consistently pushing back against far too many societal norms that ask us to forever push sensitive selves past exhaustion, by protecting a little bit of time each month to make space for moments of slowness and pause in the month ahead. These monthly restocks are little meetings with our common allies in the effort to reshape personal, familial, and social cultures into something that works for the many and not just enrich the lives of the privileged few. 

Practice Recommendations

The heart of a monthly take-stock practice is to make things easy for yourself. If you have a favorite tea blend that you make, have the recipe written on the jar you store the herbs in or in another easy to find spot (e.g. in your notes app, written on a scrap of paper stuck on your fridge, in your apothecary notebook). A monthly restock is easier when you're not having to spend extra time looking for stuff, whether recipes or supplies, so keep both in the same spot so they are easy to pull out when you need them.

It's a good idea to not only have your essential remedies, but a few types of herbs in your apothecary, especially if you're just starting to work with herbs for your sensitivity and don't know where to start. Below you'll find my recommendations for the kind of herbs that I think highly sensitive people would benefit from always having on hand.

Essential Plant Types for Highly Sensitive People

🌿 Nervines: Also known as nervous system tonics, these are herbs that help to reduce stress, regulate the nervous system, and alleviate the symptoms of sensory overwhelm. Nervines are foundational to most herbal protocols, but they're especially important for folks with extra sensitivity to their physical, emotional, and social environments. There are different kinds of nervines from stimulating nervines (like the caffeinated tea plant Camella sinensis) to relaxing nervines and general nervous system tonics that both stimulate or relax the nervous system given your current needs. In general, I think HSPs benefit from a nervine that can be taken over the long term - Milky Oat (Avena sativa) is one of my favorite nervines to recommend for this exact reason. Other great nervines include Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Linden (Tilia x europaea), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), and Vervain (Verbena officinalis). 

🌿 Adaptogens: These are plants that help the body to respond to stress in a balanced and aid the recovery process afterwards. While some adaptogens are going to be far too stimulating for a number of highly sensitive folks, I think adaptogens that are more energetically balancing and stress relieving in their healing gifts are great allies. Some of my favorite neutral to relaxing adaptogens for highly sensitive people are Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), and Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus).

🌿 Ancestral Herbs: There's a lot of interesting science on the epigenetics of trauma, sensitivity, and the ways that generations of (mal)adaptive survival can sit in the bodies of descendants. I believe that there is a useful magick that occurs when we work with one or more herbs that our ancestors would've been familiar with as a way to heal some of those inheritances that may be making our ability to thrive as sensitive people more challenging. If the body remembers the wounds of generations past I believe it also remembers the healing allies like our beloved plants. If you don't know where to start, I recommend looking to your cultural kitchen spaces and the cooking herbs and spices that you find there. 

image via @myr0326

Connect With Your Plant Ally

I stumbled into breathwork and meditation as a kid not because I had any idea what either of those things really were but because I'd read that breathwork could help my asthma and that meditation could help my witchcraft. It's been a multi-decade learning experience ever since and I believe that these simple practices of connecting with my breath, learning to pause and be still with my busy sensory experiences, and embracing the passing nature of whatever it was I was currently feeling saved my life as a young person. Meditation and breathwork is so often portrayed as some strenuous practice at being both immensely peaceful and one with the universe that it can be easy to forget that these are just tools of little adjustments over a long period of time. 

Learning to steady and thrive in your sensitivity is a practice in little adjustments. While there might be big life-changing moments (like quitting your job, ending toxic relationships or dramatically downsizing your belongings) these are meant to be every once in a great while happenings, not regular occurrences. Strength in our sensitivity often relies on much subtler but important adjustments to our inner and outer landscapes - breathwork and meditation are free and accessible tools that we can use to create these adjustments. 

One of the ways we can connect with plants as allies is through meditation and breathwork, where we set aside a reliance on the spoken word and let ourselves communicate through our felt body. Plants are great communicators in the spaces between waking and sleeping - a state that meditation and breathwork brings us into. I hope that if you are interested in working with plants over the long term that you'll consider developing a regular meditation practice with your plant allies - and once a month is a great way to start.  

Practice Recommendations

Building on the sitting with plants practice found in my suggestions for weekly practices for highly sensitive people, the plant ally meditation focuses on a direct connection with a plant you are currently working with. If you are able to sit with your plant ally in a wild or garden space, I recommend starting with the sitting with plants practice before proceeding. Not all of our plant allies are available for all of us to sit with in person, so you can simply begin by preparing whatever remedy you use of your plant ally (such as a cup of Rosa damascena tea if you are working with Rose) and taking a moment to immerse yourself in the sensory experience of that tea from its color, scent, taste, and the feel of holding the cup in your hand. 

For some, sitting is the best position for breathwork and meditation while others find laying down much more practical. When you are ready, take nine slow and steady breaths, letting your chest and belly to comfortably fill with air, pausing at the top of your breath, then exhaling, pausing again when your lungs are empty. You might experiment with breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth - find what feels most comfortable. 

After your cycle of breathwork, imagine a soft light glowing all around you. You might instinctively imagine a certain color, otherwise I recommend visualizing a starry, twinkling milky way white. When you have a good sense of your energy glowing around you, imagine that your plant ally is before you. Visualize that around your plant ally is a soft, sparkling light - It may be a different color, it may be the same color as your own energy. 

Next, let your light extend and curve around your plant ally before coming back to you, forming a lemniscate (which looks like the number eight on its side: ∞). The soft light of the plant ally extends around you in the same way, both of your energies merging into a gently flowing river between and around the both of you. Take some time to be in energetic communion with your plant ally, letting your lights drift and mingle together. Sometimes insights arise in this place, sometimes just pleasant sensations - I encourage you not to try and seek anything out in this space beyond simply staying present to the experience. 

Once you feel ready, let your energy begin to draw back into your body, noticing that your plant ally's energy is drawing back as well. Let your energy settle in the place it feels most comfortable at this time or in a place needing extra love and healing. When you are ready, take a series of deep breaths, stretching and moving your body as you like, settling back into a state of wakefulness.

After your meditation practice it can be helpful to work with grounding and centering plant allies that not only help us integrate any insights we may have had during our practice, but guide us back into steadiness in our bodies for whatever lies ahead of us.

Herbs to Ground & Center With

Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyna): I find the berries of the Hawthorn plant to be particularly grounding. Within traditional western herbalism, Hawthorn is honored for it's cardiotonic gifts as well as the way it helps us to heal after a period of heartbreak. But it also possesses the gift of helping us to feel our wisdom alongside thinking and acting in our wisdom - a great post-meditation ally, indeed!

Common Sage (Salvia officinalis): Practical, grounded Common Sage is a lovely post-meditation and post-breathwork ally, working to connect all of our body systems harmoniously, but especially the path between our head and our heart. All Sages have a clearing quality to them (which is why many varieties across cultures are burned before rituals to cleanse a space) and Common Sage is gently cleansing, but mostly helps to settle energy.

Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum): Sacred Basil is one of my favorite herbs for highly sensitive people. The herb helps with the dispersal of stuck energy, promoting a healthy energetic cycle in the body, alleviating the tension and anxiety that can arise from stagnant energy. Stagnant energy doesn't just sit low in the body, it can also sit high creating lots of tension wherever it shows up. Sacred Basil helps us to ground and center by moving energy back to where it should be, bringing relief to worn out systems, and energy to undernourished body systems.

image via @anniespratt

Gather In Community

Perhaps the most broad of my recommendations, but in many ways, the most essential. One of the ways that we learn to embrace our high sensitivity as a gift is by showing up as our sensitive selves in beloved community. Whether a knitting group, a tabletop game campaign, a gossip session at a local cafe, volunteering with your dog at your library's local read-with-dogs program, community events on your block or local park, and so on there are so many ways to gather. There are so many ways because there are so many kinds of people, including some like you with their own high sensitivity and sensory needs. It might take some time to find the group that you want to return to again and again, but the effort is worth it, and with the rapid decline of third spaces (driven by tech oligarchies and capitalist enterprises), gathering together in-person is an increasingly revolutionary act - and one that needs to be practiced regularly.

I have placed this recommendation within the monthly practices list because there is power in setting yourself up for success. Once a month is a relatively small commitment, but it'll result in a dozen gatherings over your year and that's great! It's a good way to get into the flow of gatherings without feeling overwhelmed by them. If this practice leads you into more gatherings on a bi-monthly or weekly basis - great! - but don't think that has to be an end goal. Once a month is a great starting and ending place.  

If you want to start your own gathering, maybe one focused on herbal studies, I have a guide for you.

Practice Recommendations

Before you head out for a gathering, enjoy some nervines and remind yourself why you are choosing to make all this effort to get yourself somewhere. Saying your reason out loud with some encouraging words is a goofy and effective way of encouraging yourself. If you have a partner or friend you can check in with ahead of time that can also encourage you, do that, too. Make sure to bring items that you know will help you regulate your sensory environment whether noise reducing earplugs that still allow you to hear conversation or things like gum, a fidget ring or handcrafts that help you regulate energy.

If you are going to a new-to-you gathering in a new-to-you space, it can help to look up the location ahead of time, including transportation details as well as getting a sense for what the space is going to look like. After your first gathering you'll have a better sense of what it is you might want to bring (like wearing cooler clothes if it is a space that is relatively small and gets warm easily) or prepare ahead of time. Ask questions, take bathroom breaks, and choose to do the self-regulating things you need to do (like taking sensory breaks by stepping outside or in a quieter spot of the venue).  

And remember that gathering is a practice. You found yourself feeling overwhelmed? That's ok, this is practice, and you're practicing what it is going to take to make regular gatherings enjoyable for you (including things like suggesting a venue change to a quieter location). There might be an increase in feeling overwhelmed after returning home from a gathering, even if it's mingled with feelings of excitement or enjoyment, and that's to be expected. Draw on your tools from those stress-alleviating evening tea to sitting with plants to body-honoring and sensory calming routines. Let yourself find a rhythm to monthly gatherings, not trying to rush the process, but also trusting that there are ways for you to gather together with good folk that lets you thrive as a sensitive person.

Plant Allies for Gathering Together

When appropriate, I love bringing herbal remedies for sharing. Most often I bring some sort of freshly brewed tea, but sometimes I'll bring flower essences and I've also been known to bring a bliss-inducing tincture or two. The following herbs are some of my favorite to feature in brews for community events.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): Skullcap has a wonderfully calming and centering energy. It's easy to add to blends with its relatively mild flavor and it's featured in one of my favorite tea blends. A great herb for gatherings where chill conversation or even gentle tarot readings will be the focus.

Rose (Rosa spp.): One of my favorite herbs for helping to set the tone of an event as joyfully heart-opening and connecting. Rose has an extraordinary way of bringing people together in a way that feels deep, but not too vulnerable. It helps that it's a wonderful nervine without being too relaxing. 

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): Lemon Balm is a great plant ally for balancing out the energy of the event and helping everyone gathered feel like they are in resonance. It's a great herb for generating easy-going social connections, from game night to coven gatherings. 

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I hope you found these simple monthly suggestions to take care of yourself useful, and that you're feeling inspired to imagine all the ways that working with plants regularly can cultivate an inner gentleness that is profoundly centering and strengthening. If you are interested in finding ways to mark time beyond the school or work week, you might find my series on moon phase rituals and plant allies to be a fun place to start.

For those of you looking for a more in-depth approach to herbalism and high sensitivity or if you work with a highly sensitive client base (including family members), I invite you to join me in Solace: Herbs & Essences for Highly Sensitive People.

Be sure to check out the first post in the series, Herbs for Highly Sensitive People: Daily Herbal Practices for Wellbeing, for more suggestions. As always, may you find the gentle ways of being in the world that strengthen your gifts, your community ties, and the ways that you find and bring beauty to the world.

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

📚

Footnotes

1. For those interested in the ways that plant folk organize for change, I have a page full of resources for you.