Tea for the Tired

How're you doing, friends?

It's been a long season of strain, of collective grief, and it makes sense to be tired when we're all under so much senseless strain. During these challenging times, I've been overcome with the beauty of life and community, but I've also been feeling weary and I know, after lots of experience, that this weariness is a waymarker on the path, letting me know that I can make choices on which direction I head next.

So as I was thinking of the ways I'll be tending to my weariness, I wanted to put together a few simple recipes to support your practice if you're feeling tired and worn down, too. In addition to recipes, I've also offered some practical ideas to support your path of rest. 

Do herbs replace good mental health services? No, so make sure you're reaching out to your support network if your weariness is transforming into something more pernicious. You can find a number of mental health resources at the end of this post if you're looking for a place to start.

How to Prepare Your Tea

In general, standard dosage guidelines for herbal tea is 1 heaping teaspoon of dried herbs per 8 ounces or 1 cup of water.

All of these teas can be taken throughout the day up to 3 to 4 cups within a 24 hour period. If you like, you can take a moment to enjoy the sensory experience of tea from the sound of water being poured over tea leaves to the aromatic scent of the steam rising from your brew to the warmth of the cup in your hands. Sensory beauty is one of the ways that we can help transform weariness into restorative rest. 

While I had tea in mind when creating these recipes, as tea is the type of remedy I love the most when I'm exhausted, they can all be easily adapted into the type of remedy that works best for your needs, including herbal baths, extracts, steams, and herbal oils. 

image via @justindocanto

Gentle Buzz

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

• 2 parts Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 1 part Milky Oat (Avena sativa)

• ½ part Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

The practical: Get offline and get together in-person. Get yourself to third spaces, whether libraries or coffee houses, parks or club meet-ups. It doesn't have to be a big event or anything fancy or expensive, but there is healing in meeting up and existing in the same place with one another. 

image via @j_harris_391

Lush Cloud

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

• 1 part Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

• 2 parts Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

• ½ part Rose (Rosa spp.)

The practical: Reconnect with your places of rest and your places of sleep. Let your bed be a screen free zone and make sure your favorite place to sit and get cozy is free of whatever keeps you from sitting there (laundry, too many pillows, general mess, etc. but if it is a cat, maybe get another chair?). Drink plenty of water during the day, get outside and in the fresh air, and in-between cups of tea, practice some gentle movement. 

image via @babettelandmesser

Wellspring

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

• 4 parts Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

• 1 part Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

• ½ part Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

The practical: If you've been chasing inspiration, try letting inspiration come to you instead. Choose a time and everyday show up in the same place, with your tools of creativity with you, and invite inspiration in (say it out loud if you like, light a candle, create an atmosphere to draw inspiration in - I like to set out a bowl of water to represent a well full of inspiration). Stay put for five minutes, then leave, telling inspiration you'll be back again the next day. This time is not for creating or trying to come up with ideas, but for letting inspiration know where you're at, showing up there, and letting inspiration arrive (and inspiration will eventually do just that).

🌿

I hope you found a tea or plant ally to connect with, friend. If you’re looking for more inspiration, you might like my post all about the hope-cultivating plant that is Linden (Tilia x europaea). For something of a more magickal persuasion, a few years back I wrote about gentle magick for when you feel lost and even a love letter if you’re more in the mood for poetry.

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

The Soft Season: Tarot for Clarity & Inspiration

January is a slow month for me, soft around the edges after the solstice's bright sparkle. Having already celebrated the new year at Samhain, January is less of a starting place as it is a slowing place. But, truthfully, January hasn't always been like this for me - I arrived here after spending a lot of time connecting with the seasonal rhythms of the land and my own internal seasons.

Which is all just a poetic way of saying that a few years ago I burnt out so hard that finding space for radical slowness in my life was the only (slow, soft, steady) way home again.

During this period of burnout, I found myself lying on my back in the brambles of the untended hedges of my personal boundaries, watching the seasons pass by. Getting out of that tangle took time and a lot of listening to where it was the slowness that I needed lived in the cycles of my year. The pace that I was used to moving at was no longer an option and, as the dense speed of the year rushed past me, January stuck out with its calm. It was during this month between sabbats that I started to rebuild my energy using the unfamiliar-to-me tools of softness and ease. In the process, January has become my soft season, my Quiet Moon, and the time of year where I linger between rest and reconnecting with my community practice.

Even though it was an uncomfortable and strange land to be moving through, I have come to treasure softness as the soil where the seeds of inspiration and clarity are planted. As an herbalist, tension is one of the energetic states I see most often in the clients I work with, not least of which because we are living in demanding times of ever increasing stress, and many of us are taught to overly rely on tension to prove our productiveness or as a "reasonable" way of getting by. But it is from softness, letting go of tight and narrow thinking, that possibility arises, and we can feel where it is that inspiration is calling us to.

While my soft season is the time between Midwinter and Imbolc, your soft season might appear to you at any time of the year. I encourage you to find your season of softness and I hope the following tarot spread helps you call in the energy of softness for clarity and inspiration in your life whenever you need it most. 

View fullsize

Tarot for Clarity & Inspiration

The following tarot spread is all about slowing down and softening your gaze so that you might dissolve the edges of whatever it is that is blocking your vision to better spot where inspiration is trying to guide you.

Witch tip! I recommend calling in the physical qualities of softness before casting this spread, whether it is lighting candles or soft lamps, changing into soft and comfortable clothing or perhaps building an altar to softness, gentleness, and ease.

✨ Card 1. The Querent

A card representing you (or the querent if you're reading for someone else) and your current state of being. You can see this card as something like a personal energetic snapshot or simple emotional weather report.

✨ Card 2. Less Of

A card showing you what you need less of in your life. This card might reference experiences in your past.

✨ Card 3. More Of

A card showing you what you need more of in your life. This card might refer to new habits, beliefs, and/or activities you're trying to incorporate into your life to draw you towards future goals.

✨ Card 4. Inspiration Calling

An inspirational idea, concept, and/or practice that is calling to you that would benefit from your attention.

✨ Card 5. The Cradle

Something (an idea, proposal, practice) which needs more time being sheltered, resting, and growing before being shared with the world beyond yourself. A card that helps us to invite clarity in, instead of trying to figure everything out all at once.

✨ Card 6. The Coracle

Coracles aren't the steadiest form of water craft, and represent how we might ride the current of inspiration whether or not it is a fully formed or stable idea just yet. This card is about letting yourself ride the current of inspiration and points toward the place to jump in and follow your flow.

᠅

While you can peruse through my complete archive of tarot spreads, you might be interested in my annual review tarot spread or how to incorporate tarot into your healing practice if you're journeying your way through burnout or similar experience. If you’re looking for more herbal inspiration for the season of softness, come this way.

May your journey ahead be full of inspiration, ever nourished by a wellspring of clarity!

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

My Favorite Herbs for Travel (And How to Make Your Own Herbal Travel Kit)

Before I even began studying to become an herbalist, I was carrying around tiny jars and bundles of herbs with me on my adventures around the neighborhood, to school, and almost anytime that I stepped out of the house. I tucked these herb bundles into pockets, sewed little bags into necklaces to wear them close to my heart, and flattened them between the folds of origami envelopes. I found these little bundles for years afterwards, tucked into all sorts of pockets and holding spots.

During my herbal student days, I was moving all around the country and began creating different variations of herbal travel kits, developing my remedy-making abilities and testing out what it was that I really needed (and really didn't need) on my journeys. 

While that process of trial and error with herbal travel kits (and, more broadly, herbal first aid kits), is one that remains ongoing as my needs changed over the years, there are a few types of plant allies that I always make sure to have on hand. Below, I’ve shared with you a simple list of types of plants that are my favorite to travel with when leaving the comfy corners of my own home.

For the more experienced herbal practitioners, you might find this initial list to be more than enough to inspire your herbal travel kit making. For those seeking more guidance, I've noted some of my most trusted plant allies for each category as well as other aspects of herbal travel kit making to consider and extra resources to support your project. My goal is for you to feel inspired without the overwhelm when it comes to thinking about and choosing the plant allies that will serve your healing needs best during your travels.

Not only are making herbal travel and first aid kits great ways to learn about herbalism, its a practical way to put your growing knowledge as a student herbalist to use and for practitioners, (re)creating a kit can act like a review of our practice as we reassess our needs. In the end, you'll know a bit more about useful plant allies for common complaints and have a super practical kit to bring with you on your travels.

While I’ve listed general indications for the plants listed below, as always, refer to a trusted materia medica (see some of my recommendations) or herbal practitioner to understand a plant’s contraindications and your own healing needs.

image via @consciousdesign

My Herbal Travel Kit

The herbal travel kit you put together will be shaped by your unique needs, but I hope that you find the following outline helpful in planning out what to bring in a way that feels simple and not like you're bringing an entire apothecary with you.

For many of us visiting family and friends, carrying a complete first aid kit that an herbal street medic might carry to a protest or gathering isn't necessary. In general, most of us need less than we think, we should always consider if we'll be able to purchase an herbal remedy if we really need it at the place we are visiting, and if we can use one herb in place of many. 

My basic traveling kit consists of:

• A first aid salve that can double as a moisturizer, but also helps heal simple cuts and abrasions. 

• A digestive aid to help keep regular during an irregular travel schedule

• A nervine-based tonic to aid in focus and help with nervous system regulation

• A sleep aid to aid with rest, sleep, and sensory issues

• An immune system aid to help prevent infection and illness

• A headache or pain tonic to alleviate inflammation and pain

Depending on the time of year you're traveling, you can review the corresponding seasonal guide for herbal remedies, from cold and flu care for winter travel to spring allergies, sun care for summer adventures and respiratory tonics for autumn journeys. You should also include those herbs that you are taking on a regular basis in your herbal travel kit, from your morning tea to herbal capsules.

While I've focused on creating a kit for travel, you can easily adapt it for keeping at work or as a mini version to carry with you on your daily commute, as a care package for friends, family or community members, or even expand it out into a more robust home family first aid kit. 

First Aid Salve

My favorite first aid salve usually includes some combination of Plantain (Plantago spp.) and Calendula (Calendula officinalis). Both are great at healing simple wounds, alleviating the irritation of bug bites, and helping to moisturize the skin. Applying salves alongside simple massage, can also be a great way to keep grounded and centered during your travels, and they can be blended with a variety of herbs and even flower essences.

Other considerations for first aid salves is whether to add stronger smelling plants or even essential oils - I typically don't because then a greater number of folks can use the salve (essential oils, even in salves and carrier oils, can be irritating to many skin types) and if I know I'll be in an enclosed space during travels or sharing accommodations, I try to avoid highly scented products.

Additional first aid plant allies include: Rose (Rosa spp.), Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), Burdock (Arctium lappa), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Sage (Salvia spp.), and Chamomile (Matricaria recutita).

Digestive Aid

If you've been in a consultation with an herbalist you have probably been asked a lot about your digestion and elimination - your digestive health can help an herbalist begin to understand what else is happening in your body. As you study plants and get to know your own bodily rhythms and what upsets them, you'll find that digestive plant allies play a key role in overall health. Many, many herbs support digestive health, but the following are a few of my favorite for the sort of digestive complaints that can arise from traveling.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale): One of my favorite herbs to prevent motion sickness. Ginger is helpful for general indigestion, protecting against infections, and helps our body adjust to new time zones and environments. Indications include low energy, poor circulation (including caused by travel conditions), and loss of or low appetite.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): I carry a few teabags of Licorice root with me in my travel kit to support digestive health, to help with cases of food poisoning, as an immunomodulator, and as an overall rejuvenative tonic. Licorice is also a great remedy for motion sickness. Indications include digestive upset, constipation, low energy, allergies, headache, and general jet lag.

Marshmallow (Althea officinalis): For those prone to constipation or diarrhea (or a mix of both) during travel, Marshmallow can be a great ally to keep nearby. Indications include overall dryness (including dry skin, dry cough, etc.), digestive upset, constipation, and/or diarrhea.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita): A great digestive aid for folks of all ages, Chamomile not only helps to alleviate intestinal cramping(and any accompanying issues with elimination, but helps with the crankiness that can occur because of the stress of travel. Indications include impatience, restlessness and irritability, intestinal cramping, teething, and general inflammation.

Additional digestive plant allies include: Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgaris), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris).

image via @dorne_marting

A Nervous System Tonic

I wrote a course all about nervines and sensory overload because I work with so many wonderful folks who have these incredible, sensitive, and tuned-in nervous systems (which is essentially a description of many activists, organizers, herbalists or health practitioners - no surprise!). So, it is no surprise that having one or more nervous system tonics while traveling is essential for me and I hope you find working with nervines helps you navigate travel with greater ease.

Milky Oat (Avena sativa): If I could only stock a handful of herbs in my apothecary, Milky Oat would be at the top of my list. Milky Oat is my favorite nervous system herb. As stress is an underlying factor for most of the illnesses and symptoms that I see in my practice, and gets in the way of folks being able to sit with and explore their experiences, it is a vital and beloved plant ally of mine. Milky Oat is a nervous system ​​trophorestorative making it an ideal plant ally to work with for most any nervous system needs.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): There can be a lot of focus needed for travel when getting from one place to another and Skullcap is one of my favorite herbs for helping to quiet anxiety and promote clearheadedness. It is also a great ally to induce sleep and to help us feel better if we happen to catch a cold. Indications include mental fatigue, loss of focus, physical exhaustion, tension headaches, and indigestion.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): An overall great tonic herb to have around, Lemon Balm is antimicrobial, antiviral, antihistamine, and a lovely digestive tonic, all qualities you want in a plant ally travel companion. Indications include general fatigue, social exhaustion, mental weariness, and restlessness.

Additional nervous system plant allies include: Rose (Rosa spp.), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum), Vervain (Verbena spp.), and Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea). 

A Sleep Aid

Supporting our sleeping and dreaming selves shapes the ways we are able to function and connect with the world around us during our waking hours. Since travel often leads to disturbances in our normal sleep cycles - from early wake-up times to late nights, time changes and whole new sleeping environments - bringing an herbal sleep-aid with us can make our travels way more enjoyable.

In general, other herbs in my traveling kit (especially my nervous system herbs) are already supporting the work of helping me to rest and relax but sometimes we need to reach for herbs that have gentle sedating qualities to help us find sleep, a few of which I've recommended below in addition to relaxing nervines.

Passionflower (Passilora incarnata): Passionflower is excellent for those who struggle with insomnia, bringing in restful sleep, and helping you to wake up refreshed. Indications include insomnia, muscle spasms, tremors, hiccoughs, pain, inflammation, and feeling easily overheated at night.

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica): If you're looking for an herb to help reset disruptive sleep patterns but have found other herbs like Valerian (Valeriana spp.) or Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) leaving you too drowsy, California Poppy might be a good ally to work with. California Poppy is less sedating, but still relaxing, helping to draw energy downwards. Indications include insomnia, tension headaches, ADHD, and a dysregulated nervous system.

Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum): One of my favorite adaptogens to alleviate tension and anxiety that is contributing to restlessness and disrupting sleep cycles. Indications include excess stagnation, brain fog, weak circulation, and sore muscles.

Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus): My other favorite adaptogen to help return the body back to a state of rest, whether we've been traveling for a few hours or a whole day. A wonderfully harmonizing plant ally, Eleuthero helps to reduce stress, regulate the endocrine system, and strengthen our inner vitality. Indications include hypersensitivity, nervous exhaustion, PTSD, adrenal stress, and recovering from intense physical exertion.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): A great nervous system tonic and rest aid for those who start to fall asleep but are woken up by anxious thoughts. Indications include anxiety, overthinking, nervous exhaustion, and neuralgia.

Additional sleep and rest plant allies include: Valerian (Valeriana spp.), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Milky Oat (Avena sativa), Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), and Lavender (Lavandula spp.).

image via @jules_eatrunhike

An Immune System Tonic

I think the best way to support the immune system during travel is by taking immunostimulating or immunomodulating herbs (based on your needs) a week or so before you start traveling. Other precautions to take while travel include using physical barriers to germs like wearing a mask, frequent handwashing, and using saline nose sprays - all inexpensive and effective ways of preventing and reducing illness.

Yet, travel exposes our immune system to all sorts of challenges that can be difficult to prepare for or prevent no matter how careful, so having an immune system plant ally on hand can be a wise choice. I also tuck in a few bags of my favorite cold care tea, individually packaged for easy brewing.

Elder (Sambucus nigra): Elder, especially the Elderberry, is my favorite immunomodulator. Elder helps to disrupt a viruses' ability to replicate while also helping to strengthen the nervous system. I use Elderberry syrup as a daily tonic during the height of cold and flu season, but it is great in teas and tinctures, too. Indications include infections, fever, runny nose, excess mucus, aches and pains.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea): I don't use Echinacea often, but it is a powerful immunostimulant for short-term, acute infections. Begin taking at the first sign of illness, every few hours for the first few days, but no longer than a week. Indications include sore throat, fever, poor circulation, congestion, swollen glands, and repeated infections.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): I really like Lemon Balm as a long-term remedy for immune system support - I take it regularly in tea form and bring it along with me in a more potent tincture form when I travel. Indications include brain fog, hypersensitivity, overextension of energy, and general stress.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa): I pack a small jar of haldi doodh or golden milk with me whenever I travel and drink it every morning. I love Turmeric's ability to enhance the immune system and nourish the body. Indications include aches and pains, general fatigue, and low mood.

Additional immune system herbs include: Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus), Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Elecampane (Inula helenium), and Lomatium (Lomatium dissectum). 

A Pain-Relieving Tonic

In addition to over-the-counter options, I like to carry an analgesic and anti-inflammatory herb that I can rely on should traveling and less than ideal sleeping arrangements lead to an increase in headaches and pain. 

Wood Betony (Betonica officinalis): One of my favorite herbs to alleviate headaches and, when taken early enough, reduce the severity of migraines. Indications include pain and nervous tension, headaches, anxiety, indigestion, blood sugar issues, cramps, and insomnia.

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus): If your pain improves with heat, such as warm compresses, a warming anti-inflammatory like Rosemary might be a good choice. Indications include indigestion, pain brought on by colds and fevers, and neuropathic pain.

Additional pain-relieving herbs include: Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), and White Willow Bark (Salix alba). 

A few considerations for my witch folk and magickal kin

Grimoires old and new are filled with charms for the traveller, from alleviating foot ache to protecting against the weather one was likely to find on the road. I find travel charms to act as a physical item to reassure and remind you to ground and center should things become stressful or when plans go awry, but to also connect with the magick of the journey.

A few magickal herbal charms include:

• A charm to protect your body from aches and weariness - Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is an old traveling charm for this very need.

• A protective herb for you and all of your luggage.

• A wayfinder charm to protect you from getting lost.

• Charms for your Ascendant can be a wonderful travel aid.

• A wonder finding herb to help you find magickal moments along your path - often, this is a beloved plant ally.

• Connecting with the energy of Sagittarius can help you feel freer in your journeys.

Putting Your Kit Together

In general, I reach for teas and powdered herbs before I reach for tinctures in my personal practice, but when it comes to traveling, tinctures or alcohol extracts are the most convenient and space effective. So in addition to my first aid salve, a few bags of cold care tea (as well as any daily tea I normally take), most of what is in my travel kit are 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce tincture bottle.

I have a variety of handmade zippered and tied pouches with elastic straps or small pockets for holding individual bottles in place, which are easy to make with simple sewing techniques. Use what you already have for your kit or you can purchase a handmade tincture pouch, wrap or sleeve insert from a small business. I’ve also known herbalists with crocheting or knitting skills to stitch up individual tincture holders that can be added to an existing toiletry kit (and it looks super cute). But it’s also just as effective to throw your jars and bags into an ancient ziploc bag if that means that’s the way you’re able to bring them with you - do what works!

🧭

If you’re looking for more herbal support for the winter holidays, you might find this post useful. You can also find my full list of herbal profiles in the plant ally archive for more inspiration.

I love to travel and it can be a stressful thing to do, especially when you live in places that haven’t yet come to know the joy of an extensive and well-operated public transit network (having spent my early years in Tokyo, I still dream of an highly functional, accessible, and clean rail network). I find that the process of planning what herbs I am going to bring with me, not only for my needs but my fellow traveling companions, to be a centering and soothing exercise.

So while I cannot predict what I will find on my journey, I know I have trusted allies with me along the way - I find this reassuring and I hope this post has helped you identify your own reassurances in the form of our plant kin.

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

The Sensitive Spirit: Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) Plant Profile

For many herbalists practicing any form of traditional or modern western herbalism, you'll encounter the "woah, man, have you heard about mushrooms?" whether in a book, class, conference or herbal study meetup.

(I mean, I’m sure there are mushroom people in all the herbal traditions, but I can only speak of my mushroom people...)

I certainly encountered the seemingly endless ability for mushrooms to treat all the things in my early days of practice, especially since I was coming up during a renewed intensity around the raw vegan food movement.

Are mushrooms cool? Yes!

Do they cure all the things? Yikes, no, but they remain very cool and useful and strange none-the-less. 

Mushrooms carry all sorts of folklore, from promises of immortality to marking the places in the landscape where we might slip through to the otherworld. While it can be far too easy to fall into the snares of a marketplace posing as some sort of synthetic "otherworld" trying to sell mushroom-based miracle "cures" and biohacks, there are fortunately plenty of ways to celebrate the magick of the mycelium path without getting lost in the marketing. Reishi is a mushroom that you'll find caught up in the endless hype of wellness culture, which is why I resisted writing about for so long. But, it's also a very cool mushroom with a lot of healing qualities that make it a useful ally to work with, especially in its ability to expand consciousness beyond the hyperbolic into something more grounded and more profound.

So let’s shake off the noise, get low to the earth, and find ourselves sitting with this glossy friend of decay and regeneration.

image source

Reishi
(Ganoderma lucidum)

Common + Folk Names : Lingzhi, varnished conk, ling chih, mushroom of immortality, shiny polyporus, glossy ganoderma

Element : Earth

Zodiac Signs : Carries the energy of Taurus and Capricorn. A remedy for Pisces.

Planets : Saturn

Moon Phase : Dark Moon

Tarot Cards : The Devil, the Star, the Sevens, the Eights (learn more about the connections between the tarot and herbs)

Parts used : Fruiting body

Habitat : Native to East Asia (primarily China, Korea, and Japan) and naturalized throughout parts of Europe and the USA

Growing Conditions : Shady and moist conditions, preferring to grow on decaying hardwood. Unless you know it has been ethically wildcrafted, look for cultivated sources.

Collection : When the red color of the cap has reached the edges, the edges are slightly curled under, and spore production is evident.

Flavor : Bitter

Temperature : Cool

Moisture : Dry

Tissue State : Balancing to all tissue states, but especially good for Tension

Constituents : Vitamin B2, vitamin C, adenosine, ganoderic acid S, ganoderic acid R, lipids, ash, protein, glucans, polysaccharides, phytoesterols, coumarin

Actions : Adaptogen, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antitussive, antiviral, cardiotonic, expectorant, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, immunostimulant, insulinotropic, radiation protective, rejuvenative.

Main Uses : Reishi is a beautiful red mushroom forming fan-shaped shelves on dead hardwood trees and sometimes at the base of living ones. Like many mushrooms, it invites us to imagine Good Folk dancing over it, leading us on a path across logs, past the edges of old trees, and along the forest floor, possibly leading us to somewhere beyond and between.

I use Reishi primarily as an adaptogen, or an herb that helps us to adapt to all forms of stress from emotional, mental, physical, and environmental. Over time, adaptogens help us to build our resilience to stress, often by increasing energy and improving our overall vitality. While many adaptogens are stimulating, Reishi is calming and helps to ground and center an overstimulated nervous system. For folks who tend to meet stress with increasing anxiety and agitation (as opposed to feeling sluggish and checked out), incorporating Reishi into a daily blend might be helpful (I prefer it in powder form, but use the remedy type that makes the most sense for you). My favorite way to enjoy Reishi is by mixing the powder with equitably sourced Cacao (Theobroma cacao) and Cinnamon (Cinnamommum spp.) in hot Oat milk.

Adaptogens like Reishi, which not only help to interrupt stress but stimulate our immune system, can be essential in helping to pull us out of the cycle of getting sick, getting stressed by getting sick, taking a long time to recover which increases our stress, and then getting sick again. Reishi's antiviral and antibacterial qualities help to inhibit infections while stimulating the immune system. The mushroom is also a great post-illness remedy, helping to alleviate fatigue and restore energy levels. 

While Reishi is useful for balancing all of the tissue states, it has a particular resonance with alleviating the Tension tissue state. We are living in high tension times driven by technological developments which center data-mining and ad-driven algorithms over authentic connection and preservation of our planet. It is no wonder that so many of us struggle with anxiety and chronic stress arising from trying to "hold it all together" - an inherently tense way of existing. Signs of excess Tension include heightened anxiety leading to hypervigilance where one is always on guard and in a defensive position. Some other signs of Tension include forgetfulness, brain fog, and restlessness. If you're experiencing these symptoms of excess Tension Reishi might be an excellent ally to work with. 

image source

Within Chinese Traditional Medicine, Reishi is considered an herb of spiritual benevolence, helping us become receptive to the peace of body and mind which occurs through spiritual practice. It is called upon when there are signs that one's spirit has been disturbed. In my practice, I see a lot of chronic sensory and empathy overwhelm leading to disturbance of the spirit (i.e. our sense of whole and undisturbed self), which is why I think Reishi is such a great ally for sensitive folks. Reishi helps us to release tension, letting go of those things that we have no control over, and helps us find a place of compassionate receptivity in order to receive back our breath, our clarity, and our ability to be at peace in the world. 

As an adaptogen Reishi not only helps with the reduction of stress but helps to normalize body systems in general. It's a good ally when it comes to maintaining normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels, adrenal function, and stabilizing the immune system. The immunomodulating qualities of Reishi is particularly useful when tending to chronic immune issues such as chronic fatigue and other immunocompromised conditions like fibromyalgia and the recovery period post-viral infection. Reishi is also a useful supplemental ally for immunocompromised or suppressed conditions like HIV and cancer, helping to protect against the harmful effects of chemotherapy and improve white blood cell count. The mushroom can also be used to support recovery from acute immune-compromised conditions such as bacterial infections like Strep or Staph and viral infections. 

Reishi has an affinity for the respiratory system and signs of asthma, chronic bronchial infections, and allergies which lead to compromised breathing or feeling like you can't take a deep enough breath can all be indications for the mushroom. Reishi helps to improve lung function and capacity, relieve allergies and the histamine response, regulate cardiac function including coronary circulation, as well as increase levels of oxygen in the blood. Again and again, Reishi moves through the body in a way that helps us to take a deeper, more nourishing breath. 

As Reishi helps us to breathe deeper, it also helps us to sleep better. Taken on its own or paired with herbs like Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) or Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Reishi can alleviate insomnia and improve overall quality of sleep. The mushroom can also support digestive health, promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, healing ulcers, and improving liver function. Good sleep and digestion go hand in hand so if you're having trouble with sleep, addressing digestive issues and vice versa can often lead to positive outcomes.

dried reishi slices - image source

Magickal Uses : Within traditional western magickal practice there is not a precedent for Reishi's magickal uses (at least in the English language resources that I have access to), but we can certainly learn about the magickal qualities of Reishi through observation of its medical qualities as well as direct experience. I use Reishi before meditation and sound healing sessions to help me become receptive to the peaceful energies generated by such practices. Reishi is also a great ally to work with when it comes to connecting more deeply with your current or developing spiritual practice. If you're feeling a deep connection with Reishi, I also encourage you to check out resources and stories within Chinese medicine about the mushroom. 

The Reishi Personality : One of the indications for Reishi is a poor or pallid complexion - there is a lack of vibrancy and life to the skin and appearance. Reishi folks can lack vibrancy from being worn down and worn out by the overstimulating nature of modern life. One of the heart-breaking things that Reiki folk often deal with is a deep yearning for spiritual practice and connection, but a state of brain-fog and forgetfulness that can make them feel like they are stuck on an endless loop of never quite remembering to make time for things of a spiritual nature. The excess tension that they carry around from trying to manage their brain-fog and just getting through the day with already depleted resources can lead to a constant state of low-level to intense anxiety. Panic attacks can be especially disorienting as there can be little perspective or feelings of resiliency to connect with to help pull them through to the other side. Reishi helps them to restore energy to their whole being as well as help them to connect with their feeling of spiritual self-worth. The mushroom can help to enliven their gifts of being able to cultivate reverence and reverence-filled spaces with ease and gentleness, something which our culture at large needs, and which is why Reishi folks are so needed in our present time.

Contraindications : Generally considered safe, but use with professional guidance during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Avoid if you have mushroom or mold allergies. Discontinue use 7 to 10 days before surgery as the herb can inhibit blood clotting. 

Drug interactions : Anti-coagulants, statins, interferon and immunosuppressant medication. Caution with insulin and hypoglycemics.

Dosage : Small doses are best.McIntyre recommends1-5 ml of tincture (1:3 30%) up to three times daily. 5 - 30 grams of powdered extract up to three times daily. Large and/or prolonged doses can cause dry mouth, gastro-intestinal distress (such as constipation or diarrhea), and dizziness.

᠅

I hope you enjoyed that journey with one of the allies of the mushroom kingdom. If you’re looking for more plant ally wisdom, check out my archive of planet profiles as well as find the printable version of Reishi plant profile and many more over in The Plant Ally Library.

If you’ve found yourself resonating with the ways that Reishi works with sensitivity I invite you to check out Solace: Herbs & Essences for Highly Sensitive People.

May your journey along the mycelium path be a fruitful one!

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

Cozy Autumn, Festive Winter: Herbal Remedies for the Dark Season

The bright half of the year - from late spring to long summer - seems to move at a dizzying pace when compared to the dark half of the year - fleeting autumn to deep winter - which slows and steadies as light slumbers and the cold takes hold.

We need these bright times and these dark times with all of the mottled light and shadow that dances between. We need time to be speedy and swift just as much as we need time to be unhurried and languid. For me, the space between autumn and winter embodies the pause between the inbreath and outbreath more than any other time of year. Our experience of the pause between inhalation and exhalation, and the end of the old bright year and the birth of the new dark year, can teach us so much about our relationship with rest and being restful.

That place of pause holds a lot of uncertainty - What should I be doing? What should I be thinking? Will I breathe again? What's the point? - and who needs more uncertainty during these already uncertain times? And then, on top of all of the uncertainty, we are supposed to feel restful? There is too much work to do!

And yet, we must rest and learn to be uncomfortable for a moment to experience the length of deep rest. There is a magick in meandering, dreams that only come to us when we've fully relinquished the day, and visions of what might be that only appear after we've gotten a little lost. And then we turn the corner and find ourselves seeing something around and within ourselves for the first time. 

Herbalism, with its connection to time through the rhythms of the year, and the way that healing requires us to move backwards and forwards along our own timelines, is full of supportive herbs and plant allies that help us connect with this pause. While I can't point to a singular reason why working with plants strengthens our ability to engage with our healing pause, I've witnessed again and again, the ways that engaging with a form of healing deeply rooted in our collective ancestral experience gets us to slow down, to pause, and to reconnect. In this place of holy pause we can take a view of life and the ways we are living it not from a place of doing but of being. Plants, with their ability to move with time instead of struggling against it (as we are so prone to do as a species), can be wonderful guides back to this place of pause and steadiness. I find these pauses and ability to rest to make the festive moments of raucous cheer that much brighter and the more challenging periods of winter's dark that much shorter.

With practice, the pause helps us to move swiftly when needed, agilly adjusting to the challenges that come our way, while remaining rooted to our values of care and connection.

So as autumn transforms into winter, I've collected a few of my favorite recipes for this time of year to help us slow down, let go of the weight of what was, and let ourselves get lost in our own becoming.

Autumn to Winter Remedies

The following recipes are formulated as teas but can easily be made into herbal extracts, baths, or other forms of herbal remedies. I’ve crafted them with the transition from (roughly) Sagittarius to Capricorn season in the northern hemisphere and from (roughly) Gemini to Cancer season in the southern hemisphere in mind, but they can easily be adapted or used throughout the year.

image via @purejulie

For When You Need Help Letting Go

Autumn is precious and fleeting - it's a steep narrow path into the deep valley of winter and the more we try to carry what we no longer need with us, the harder the journey can be. The passage between autumn and winter can help us get clear on what helps to carry us along our path versus what weighs us down, along with everything in the muddled middle. One of the intangible aspects of working with plant allies is the way that, through alleviating discomfort and helping us feel better in our bodies, they can illuminate what it is we want, what we need, and what is ready to be let go. Some of my favorite path-illuminators and liberating herbs are Rose (Rosa spp.), which opens the heart to possibility, Peppermint (Mentha piperita), which brings us clarity, and Calendula (Calendula officinalis), which clears out shadows and lights the way ahead.

• 4 parts Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

• 1 part Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

• ¼ part Rose (Rosa spp.)

image via @purejulia

For When You Need To Wander

The ability to wander, meander, and unfollow, is as valuable as the ability to focus, pursue, and analyze. While it might feel counterintuitive to not try to figure out and name, with precision and finality, what it is we need to heal in our lives, the opportunity to get away from what we know and get a little lost what we don't know can serve us well in the long run. I find that the plant allies that help us wander are ones that are often recommended for dreamwork, such as Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), or ones associated with the Good Folk like Thyme (Thymus vulgaris). I also like to include Fennel (Foeniculum vulgaris), not only because it softens the bitterness of Mugwort's flavor, but it strengthens the compass of our intuition - a good thing to have while we wander. 

• 2 parts Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

• 1 part Fennel (Foeniculum vulgaris)

• ½ part Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

image via @purejulia

For When Your Immune System Needs a Boost

As the weather grows cooler and we spend more time indoors with others, our immune systems have to work extra hard to protect us against colds and flus. The work of building up our immunity takes place throughout the year, but we all need extra support with increased exposure to viruses. We can call upon a combination of immunostimulating and immunomodulating herbs to help us through the dark half of the year. Elder (Sambucus nigra) is my favorite immunomodulating herb that I start taking as soon as autumn arrives. I love Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) not just for its flavor but for its ability to warm us up and strengthen our immune system, while Sage (Salvia officinalis) protects against viral infections.

• 4 parts Elder (Sambucus nigra)

• 2 parts Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

• ½ part Sage (Salvia officinalis)

🍂

Three simple recipes to help us move from autumn into winter, carrying only what we need so that we can feel free to go where we desire.

You can find more seasonal inspiration for your practice by checking out my autumn wellness apothecary and winter wellness apothecary posts. You can also explore my series on herbal and magickal suggestions for every season.

If you’re looking for more between-the-seasons guides be sure to check out:

• Slow Winter, Soft Spring: Herbal Remedies for the Quiet Season

• Sweet Spring, Bright Summer: Herbal Remedies for the Waking Season

• Joyful Summer, Golden Autumn: Herbal Remedies for the Bright Season

May these days of bluster and change bring clarity to your heart, clearness to your vision, and open up paths of connection back to the people, places, and practices that you feel most at home.

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