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by Patrice Green Lately I’ve been thinking about herbs in a slightly different way. In the beginning of my herbal adventures, I was eager to get to know all the different plants, and furiously made a profusion of tinctures, oils, glycerides and the like. This is common for beginning herbalists. After a while, I realized that I had a larger apothecary than I needed. As time passed and glycerides and oils had to be tossed because they were losing potency, I began to get a better understanding of what my personal needs were, and felt guilty for taking more plants than I used. Plants give us everything. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: they give us oxygen, food, medicine, and ask for nothing in return except our carbon dioxide and maybe the hope that we won’t destroy this planet we share. When I realized I was taking more than I used, I began to make conscious choices about what to stock, and how much. More recently I’ve gotten even more specific, identifying those herbs that are “must haves” for me – the “Go To” plant allies which, season to season, I always have on hand. I consider them my personal arsenal. Here are a few: Yarrow: There is never a time when I don’t have beautiful yarrow in my apothecary. I absolutely love this herb and admire its versatility and strength. The dried herb in tea form is wonderful to ease fevers and severe colds. The infused oil is a must have ingredient for healing salves. I also like to use the infused oil with castor oil packs to heal deep bruising or severe menstrual cramping. The tincture is a without parallel if you’re trying to heal a severe injury and need any stagnant blood to break up and move out. It is also the premiere herb for treating fibroids. The essential oil smells heavenly, is one of the beautiful “blue” oils and is wonderful as part of a PMS remedy. Cautionary note: avoid while pregnant. Yarrow flower essence is a strengthener of the auric field and for those who are easily hurt by others.  St. John's Wort flower essence St. John’s Wort: Another must have for me is St. John’s Wort, specifically it’s beautiful cranberry-colored oil. Every year I make a fresh batch of this wonderful oil so that it’s readily available for use. Its analgesic properties are legendary. This beloved plant ally is a staple of my arthritis remedies/salves.When getting a massage, I always make an aromatherapy blend with St. John’s Wort oil as the carrier and ask the massage therapist to use it during my session. You can almost feel the heat of the sun warming the affected area when using this amazing plant in oil form. The flower essence is wonderful for those afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Another cautionary note: if you are taking anti-depressants, stick with St. John’s Wort flower essence rather than tincture, as the tincture is contra-indicated. I hope some of you reading this may start to think about your use of the herbs as well, and how we can ease the burden on Mother Earth so that there continues to be plenty of Her bounty for all of us.  Herbal oils infusing in the sun  Patrice Green is an Herbal Educator, Certified Aromatherapist, Energy Medicine and Reiki Practitioner and founder of Green Aromatics. She is also the Assistant Director at the Boston School of Herbal Studies. She received her herbal training at the Boston School of Herbal Studies, and shamanic training from Isa Gucciardi, Ph. D. at the Sacred Stream in Berkley, CA. Inspired by time spent among the coastal Redwoods of Muir Woods and its beach, Green Aromatics strives to imbue its products and services with the same resilience, joy and equanimity of these majestic beings. Patrice may be reached through the Green Aromatics website.
 by Patrice Green As I write this, it's the day after the Summer Solstice, and a few days before Saint John's Eve/Day. We are in the midst of midsummer herbal magic! One of the most prolific plants at this time of year is the mysterious Saint John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum. I say mysterious because Saint John's Wort will suddenly appear in an area, stay for one or a few seasons, then will disappear only to re-appear in another location where it is most needed. This plant has a rich history of being used medicinally from Ancient Greece to the Crusades. Used to treat a variety of ailments including pain and bruises as well as mood swings, bed-wetting, and emotional issues, Saint Joh's Wort's Latin name is derived from the tiny perforations naturally occurring in the leaves (perforatum). The other half of its name symbolizes the sun, hypericum - named for Hyperion, the Greek Titan who fathered the Sun, Moon and Dawn. A sprig of Saint John's Wort over the door was traditionally thought to protect against evil spirits. Traditionally this plant was harvested on the morning of the Summer Solstice or the morning of Saint John's Day (June 24th), when the plant and its flowers were at their peak. It is always best to harvest this plant after a series of hot days for increased potency.  |
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