|
Midnight Soak with Herbs |
|
Nowhere is the sacred power of plants more evident than in the help they offer us by countering the negative effects of stress. Herbs can help clear everything from anxiety to depression, addiction to sleeplessness - even burnout. The loving energy of plants pours forth in abundance whenever we need it most.
|
More on bathing
|
BATHING BEAUTIES Cleopatra bathed luxuriously in milk to soften her skin and preserve her extraordinary youth. To play the Cleopatra game add two cups of dried milk to a running bath together with 2-3 drops of a fragrant essential oil (don’t overdo it or the oil might burn your skin). Or make up a bath bag with dried milk and softening herbs (see below). You might choose freshly picked chamomile and elderflowers, or rose petals and comfrey to make the sweetest of baths in the summer. You can collect the leaves and flowers and dry them for a sunny soak during the long winter months. |
|
Skin Secrets Milk Softener Into a bath bag put 2 cups of dried milk, and add a cup of elderflowers, rose petals, chamomile or sage – or a mixture of all three. Chamomile Smoothie Into a bath bag put equal quantities of chamomile,
elderflowers, comfrey and linden blossoms. Comfrey Brightener Into a bath bag put equal quantities of comfrey,
nettle, dandelion, and orange peel. Bran Softener Into a bath bag put 2 cups of bran and 1 cup of
chamomile flowers. Oatmeal Scrub Into a bath bag put 2 cups of rolled oats, 1 cup
of elderflowers, and half a cup each of crushed nettle leaves and crushed
spearmint. |
|
The classic definition of a herb is a non-woody plant which dies down to its roots each winter. This definition is far too limiting. It was probably made up by 19th Century European botanists who had never seen the rainforest in which, of course there is no winter to die back in. Neither had they ever heard of woody trees and shrubs such as hawthorn and ginko and elder which are some of the best selling herbs on the market these days. I define a herb as a medicinal plant. It can come from any climate and be a leaf, a bark, a flower or a root. It can be home-grown or wild, a weed, a spice, a plant which is used for its healing or culinary or beautifying properties. Once you discover the power of herbs it is easy to become so enthusiastic about them you go overboard trying to use them for everything. It is not wise to take lots of different plants all at the same time. Or you might start to think that since a small amount of something is good for you, taking twice or three times that amount will be even better. It isn’t. If you want safe and sane herbal help here are a few guidelines to follow:
Herbs This Week Archives |
