The Witches Yuletide Ball

In an effort to write more about the things we love (namely herbs, teas and enchantment) and meet other inspired folks out on the webbed-net, we are taking part in The Witches Yuletide Ball hosted by the bloggers over at On the Broomstick and The Witch of Howling Creek.  Our post will be featured at On the Broomstick on December 10th and we'll be sharing what we love about Yule as well as tea and its charm.

What are some of your favorite activities, teas or memories during the winter season?

One of the favorite activities in the Apothecary around Yule is an abundant amount of thrifted, bizarre and glittering Yuletide decorations.  One of our favorite ornaments is a picture painted on a bit of slate of a rather startled-looking snowman dressed up as a moose.  Ah, the memories...  We miss you, Maine!

EDIT: Read the Blog and enter a chance to win our Star of Yule Tea Blend here!

How To Make Tea (and other almost news)

Enjoy the easy reference for making a cuppa loose leaf tea.  Share it with friends if you like, but mostly make sure you enjoy lots of tea and good company.  We're hoping to expand our own tea time company at our new home in Mesa, Arizona.  And the Apothecary may be opening its doors in a more off-line sorta setting.

Good gracious, our tea time possibilities are ever expanding!

We'll let you know more about our adventures in the coming days, but in the meantime Happy Halloween, Blessed Samhain and may you find solace in the darkening season.

Autumnal Equinox: Herbs for Balance

The Autumnal Equinox is a mark of the end of summer and the return of the dark of the year.  From the equal balance of night and day, we now journey towards longer nights until the longest night of all on the Winter Solstice.  The Equinoxes are a time for us to nurture our ability to balance the complexity that makes us who we are - and that is a lot of work!  The Autumnal Equinox is an opportunity to slow down, take a deep breath, honor the work of the year so far and carry summer heat through to winter fires.  We have a few herbs in the Apothecary that we consider great friends during this season as they are particularly inclined to help us find balance during the early days of Autumn.

P.S. Check out our post on recipes for the Autumnal Equinox!

Hawthorn from wikipedia.org

HAWTHORN Crataegus monogyna: We've written about Hawthorn before and using it as part of our Autumn cold and 'flu preventative routine, but we wanted to highlight what makes Hawthorn, especially its berries, such a particularly powerful herbal ally for the Autumnal Equinox.  Hawthorn is an herb of boundaries and perforation, excelling in circulating the energy of the body through all its parts.  As we balance between night, day and the turning of summer to fall, Hawthorn helps us to adapt to change, by addressing and preventing stagnation.

Skullcap from wikipedia.org

SKULLCAP Scutellaria lateriflora: Skullcap and the next herb on our list, Horsetail, are both herbs of Saturn, the planet that works its force most strongly during the Autumnal Equinox.  It is an herb of rest and a nervine that addresses issues such as nervous headaches, anxiety, insomnia and muscle twitches.  Skullcap helps us welcome in the darkening of the year, soothing stress and the tense muscles that sometimes develop when folks pummle through their days and sleep little at night.

Horsetail from wikipedia.org

HORSETAIL Equisetum arvense: A potent source of silica, Horsetail is an ancient plant that helps the body to expel toxins and is a tonic for the kidneys.  While Horsetail is a plant best wildcrafted in the spring, it can be dried or tinctured and used later in the year and is especially strengthening as the seasons turn from the dry of summer to the damp of fall.  It has survived since the time of dinosaurs and can certainly help us move through the turning of the light of  the year to the dark.

Try using these plant allies as teas, tinctures, essences, in baths, hang them about your home and carry them with you to imbue your senses with balance, your spirit with the grace of changing.

P.S. Check out our post on recipes for the Autumnal Equinox!

Flower + Gem Essence Remedy Kits!

Drift Uplifted into the sky,

Be ever more Courageous as you fly!

You'll be Grounded + Centered on landing, we trust -

And truly Renewed by your journey of flowers, gems, and starstuff!

While bad poetry is not included all four of our Flower + Gem Essence combinations certainly are! Our Flower + Gem Essence Remedy Kit comes in a lovely green pocket box along with a card describing each of the Essence combinations qualities and ingredients.

The Flower + Gem Essence Remedy kit includes one 1/2 ounce stock bottle preserved in organic vodka of:

Grounded + Centered: for when you feel unbalanced, light-headed, and have difficulty staying focused. Helps you feel grounded, steady, and centered.

Uplifted: for when you feel burdened and overwhelmed by responsibility. Helps relieves anxiety around the tasks at hand while helping you to find what brings you joy in life.

Courageous: for when fears fill your head and you don't feel strong enough to face them. Helps you to find courage while feeling protected and nurtured at your very core.

Renewed: for when you are recovering from an illness, emotional trauma or other times of strain on your system. Helps to return vitality to your whole being, freeing you from previous disruptive patterns of behavior.

In addition to taking Flower + Gem Essences as drops you can: ★ Add them to your drinking water, smoothies, and juices ★ Spray them throughout your work and living spaces ★ Rub them onto pulse and chakra points ★ Put them in your bath water

Read more about our Flower + Gem Essences here.

Our Flower + Gem Essence Remedy Kits can be purchased in our S H O P.

Quicken the Mind: Peppermint

The crisp and recognizable scent of Peppermint Mentha Piperita brings money to those who carry its leaves and protection to the traveler.  Use Peppermint as an incense or floorwash to purify and energize a space. Tuck the leaves beneath your pillow to enhance dreams and visions or wear them about your neck to increase focus and drive.  Peppermint in the garden brings success to all endeavors.  The genus name of Peppermint, Mentha, is after that of a Greek nymph named Minthe, who after an affair with Pluto was turned to the Peppermint plant we know today by a jealous Persephone.  Or at least that is one version of the story…

For those that feel they are walking in a haze, worried about that which lies beyond the fog, but unable to direct focused attention towards it.  They might be too worried to know more, prone to upset stomachs, too hot then too cold, and a bit exhausted by it all.  Peppermint might be the wise green ally who helps bring them back to focus through gentleness and loving perception of the body’s needs.

Peppermint from iloveherbs.net

Peppermint loves to soothe the body.  Use as a tea or tincture to settle the stomach, ease abdominal pain, menstrual cramps, and for flatulence (especially if taken after meals).  Peppermint is also antiparasitic.  As a tea Peppermint eases flu and cold symptoms, helps to break fevers by encouraging a sweat, expels phlegm, and clears the head.  Peppermint helps treat sinusitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, and is good for inflamed lung conditions, asthma, heart palpitations, lung infection and congestion. Eases insomnia, general tension, and is good for dizziness and fainting, fatigue, and headaches

Yerba Buena

Use the oil or a tea externally to soothe sore muscles, inflammation, rough skin, hives, and rashes. Also use in cool washes for chicken pox and measles.  Peppermint can be used as a gargle for mouth and throat and to prevent gingivitis.  The crushed leaves can be applied to forehead for headaches and directly on bee stings or insect bites.  Preventatively, Peppermint can be used as a repellent for most biting bugs.

Try rubbing the fresh, crushed leaves on your skin as a natural bug repellant and for its calming properties.  I love mixing the fresh mint leaves with apple juice and ice for a cooling drink – especially important in our new Austin home!  Peppermint tea on its own is a wonderful digestive remedy, but also try mixing it with a bit of fresh grated Ginger, some Cinnamon, and a bit of Fennel seed.  Delicious!