Rose Medicine

Recently published Herbal Goddess by Amy Jirsa explores the intersection of teas, potions, salves, food, yoga and twelve different kinds of herbs. I find this text inspiring as I consider what 14 herbs are most important to me. One of her prized herbs is Rosa (my chosen name in high school Spanish). I am thinking about rose as I am about to teach a yoga class in a rose garden in a couple days. I will need to arrive a couple hours early to explore all the varieties. Since the garden is maintained by Woodland Park Zoo I imagine they use fertilizers so I won't be harvesting anything for medicine.

Jirsa claims rose petals are sedative, antiseptic, antii-inflammatory and anti-parasitic. Perfect ingredient for a gardeners salve, for wounds, cuts, and abrasions while digging around in soil. If taken internally, rose lowers body temperature and is anti-spasmodic - muscle relaxing. Excellent summer medicine to keep you cool. Go figure it blooms into the summer, indeed nature provides us with what we need at the right time. I now have a whole new understanding of the benefit of creating a rose water spritzer.

Jirsa also talks about "rose magic", where she constructs rituals for bringing love into your life, mending estranged relationships or infertility, manifesting dreams and beauty, as well as inviting peace. I love the possibility for any individual to create their own rituals in relationship to rose, which has so much cultural association such as love, compassion and friendship.

I realize how I designed an entire yoga class for heart opening and breathing exercises, yet how important it will be just to meditate and be among the roses themselves, without thinking of them in terms of medicine, or asking for love to enter our lives. But simply to experience friendship with all the little flowers. How easy it is for me to wrap my head around the medicinal value of plants but forget about being in relation with them.

That being said, I will let rose be a medicine. Susun Weed reminds us many of the fruits we eat are in the rose family: strawberries, raspberries, apples, plums, almonds, all Rosaceae. (All cooling summer foods, which combined could make amazing desserts!) Weed also claims rose petals contain hormonal precursors, which relieve pituitary, menstrual and menopausal problems. This corroborates with Jirsa's book, where she says rose petals are an emmenagogue, uterine tonic and nervine. It's no wonder roses are almost universally considered "feminine". I'd really love to make rose petal honey soon.

Basil & Nettle

We are waxing near full moon again, Sunday, May 3, 8:42 PM PDT. Fortunately for me I have both women's group on Sunday and social dance in the evening to explore moon energy. This month happens to be in the constellation Scorpio. I generally view these types of associations to be more mythology than anything else, but as I pull up various websites regarding herbs and Scorpio, I notice basil is a constant. Luckily something found at the farmers market!

Garden Witchery regards Scorpio herbs as: catmint, basil, sage, catnip, honeysuckle, nettle, onion, coriander, garlic, wormwood, and elder. And the area of the body to focus on is the genitals. I think about people I know dealing with reproductive health issues and want to consider medicines that might work from this list of herbs. 

Reading into the phytopharmacology of basil claims basil reduces blood clotting and lowers blood pressure. Women sometimes take basil before and after childbirth to promote blood circulation and the flow of breast milk. Not many studies have been undertaken but some demonstrate antibacterial, antimicrobial and spermicidal effects. If this is valid some kind of vaginal cream or salve may be created for treating STDs, HPV or yeast infections. In that case a strong antibacterial and antiviral could be added to enhance the potency (I am thinking garlic and onion). 

Another plant I am curious about is nettle, which is so abundant this time of year. Nettle is highlighted in an article "Women's Herbs" for it's value as a nutritive, for the entire body, bones, blood, brain, breast milk. As a whole body tonic it serves as a "fertility herb" -- whether or not you are trying to become pregnant you might make your body fertile for life. A basil nettle tea could be delicious. 

I love how I never thought of using these herbs for reproductive health until full moon in Scorpio came around when I happened to have women's group scheduled.