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)

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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. ❤︎

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

After a long summer, where it seems that everything might be gold and green forever, and the winds of autumn have yet to sweep in and pull the last of summer's fruit to the earth, I think of the ways that these spaces between seasons are a good time to check in on the boundaries within and around us.

While boundaries can sometimes evoke feelings of absence, pushing away, and borders, I find it more helpful to understand boundaries as an essential form of nourishment. To resist our need for boundaries is to go hungry - when we deny or ignore our own boundaries we can be left hungering for the protection and nourishment of ourselves and our dignity that sturdy boundaries provide. Testing and having our boundaries tested, in nonviolent, even playful ways, is a normal process of development, when we get to say no and figure out what our yeses look like as we develop our sense of self. The seasons of the year and the seasons of life are full of boundaries and edges, places to explore to know ourselves and our worlds better.

I find that the transition from one season to the next are times of boundary testing, seeing what has thrived, what has struggled, what has grown, what has been dreamed up in the past season, and how that will carry us through the next. There are the practical boundaries of the places we live in, the ways we feed ourselves, sources of income, and the day-to-day needs of our wellbeing.¹ There are also the less tangible, but equally necessary boundaries of the dreams we've protected, the discernment we've developed in our relationships, and the ways we respect the shape of our energy and healing needs. Tying the practice of boundary-making and re-shaping to seasonal tides helps us to create a cyclical rhythm to our boundary work instead of a one-and-done approach that can leave us feeling disappointed or exposed if we find ourselves having to create or renew a boundary.

Boundary work shows up in all sorts of interesting ways in herbal consultations and classrooms. There are the boundaries that I establish as a practitioner and teacher that helps define what I do and do not offer long before a client or students enter a space, the boundaries that respect the freedom of movement and encourage the curiosity of students and clients, and boundaries that respect the various relationships created in these learning spaces. There are boundaries of time spent together, boundaries of privacy, sensory boundaries, and the unique boundaries that will always arise at any given consultation, class or event. I make sure that I reflect on, renew, and adjust my boundaries frequently throughout the year not only for my wellbeing, but for the wellbeing of those I serve.

If you're a practitioner, what are the personal and professional boundaries that you hold in classes and consultations? If you're a client or student, what are your own boundaries and can you easily identify the boundaries that your teacher and/or practitioner holds?

image via @eilisgarvey

As the wheel of the year turns and one season shifts to another, I imagine boundaries less as fixed and stoic walls between me and a person or experience, and more of practices that shelter and strengthen me so that I can fully arrive in the coming season. As summer's long days give way to autumn's golden glow, I check-in with what it is I need to make sure that I'm able to make it - physically and energetically - to all of the harvest festivals that I want to attend in the coming months, including being able to show up to those celebratory harvests of personal accomplishment. In other words, my boundary work is less about building a wall and more about making sure that the path ahead is clear so that I can return again and again to beloved community and the experiences that I treasure most. 

So as summer transforms into autumn, I've collected a few of my favorite recipes for the bright season to help us store up light and energy for the rest of the year, strengthen our edges so that we better know what it is we are feeling and want to be held, and find ways to feel steady and sure in our practice.

Summer to Autumn 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) Virgo to Libra season in the northern hemisphere and from (roughly) Pisces to Aries season in the southern hemisphere, but they can easily be adapted or used throughout the year.

image via @anniespratt

For When You Need To Store Energy

Summer is long where I live and sometimes the heat can feel neverending, but I've also lived in places where summer is sharp and quick, quickly bowing to autumn's splendor. I've learned that no matter what type of summer I may be living with, learning how to pace yourself in the heat and store up the season's light for the rest of the year is a good skill to cultivate. I like to work with plant allies that help strengthen our cardiovascular system (like Taraxacum officinale), build up the blood (like Crataegus monogyna), and increase our body's capacity to effectively manage our energy (like Ocimum sanctum), helping us to feel strong throughout the year.

• 4 parts Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

• 2 parts Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale)

• 1 part Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyna)

image via @anniepratt

For When You Feel Ungrounded & Uncertain

If we feel disconnected from the earth of our body and the earth of the land, uncertain about what next steps to take, and generally uncentered, it can make setting and maintaining boundaries challenging. The end of summer and the beginning of autumn is such a beautifully earthy time of harvest and connecting with the nourishing energy of the land. Herbs like Sage (Salvia spp.), Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), and Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) help us feel centered, connected, and grounded in our bodies with the added benefit of strengthening our immune systems as we move into cold and flu season.

• 2 parts Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

• 2 parts Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

• ½ part Sage (Salvia spp.)

image via @anniespratt

For When You Foundation Needs Strengthening

Taking care of the structure of our body - our musculoskeletal system and skin - helps all other healing herbal remedies, wellness practices, and opportunities for joy grow more easily in our lives. Vitamin and mineral rich herbs like Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and Nettles (Urtica dioica) help to nourish and rebuild energy while sun-bright flowers like Calendula (Calendula officinalis) help the skin to glow from the inside out. 

• 3 parts Nettles (Urtica dioica)

• 1 part Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

• ½ part Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

• Lemon juice to taste

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Three simple recipes to help us move from summer to autumn with our dreams held close and our energy sheltered. You can find more seasonal inspiration for your practice by checking out my summer wellness apothecary and autumn 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

May these days of shimmering glow settle all around you, so you may carry this light like a lantern into the dark half of the year, steady on the path illuminated all around you.

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

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Footnotes

1. Ideally, these would be needs that we didn't have to earn, but already have as an inherent part of a society's social net of safety and welfare. May we continue to call such a world into being.

Steadying Our Vision: Tarot and Tea for Capricorn Season

Welcome to Capricorn Season and my latest post on tarot practices and herbal allies for the twelve seasons of the zodiac (you can learn more here).

Sagittarius season may have just ended, mud still on the explorer's boots, and Capricorn is already asking, "Yes, but what did you do out there? What was the point of all your traveling?" While for some these types of questions may destroy the vibe of the adventurer, for Capricorn these types of assessments and reflections lead to the building of legacy and knowledge that can be transmuted into wisdom. If Sagittarius asks, "What is out there?" it's Capricorn asking the all important "What'll we do when we find what's out there? Who might we become?" Capricorn energy is the reason we have dry kindling to start a fire when out camping and that the broken window gets repaired before the cold winds of winter blow in. Marking the Solstice (Summer Solstice in the southern hemisphere and the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere), Capricorn helps us to understand where we most often shine our light and how to shine our light with precision.

Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign which means that it embodies the energy of creating the next chapter of a very old book (or a completely revolutionary textbook), a steady eye on the future, and the energy to stick around to see a project through (Aries, Cancer, and Libra are also cardinal signs). Following the breath of the year, as Sagittarius breathes out, so Capricorn breathes in, settling in place and taking note of what needs to be done for the long run. The ability to envision far into the future and experience gratification in the long-run is a gift and lesson of Capricorn. The season of Capricorn helps us to take stock of how far we've come and where we must go next - but before we make any moves, Capricorn energy helps us to plan and prepare.

Many of us are grappling with huge and complex choices that we need to make in order to secure a future on our beloved island planet. Capricorn, in its practicality and straightforwardness, is less susceptible to hype, speculation, and fear (even as it is driven by understanding the realness of crisis), and helps us to simply do what needs doing right now,  wherever we're at. As we learn about ourselves in Capricorn season and in our own birth charts, we learn where it is that we keep our gumption and our fearlessness in scaling mountains and exploring sea depths that the mighty goatfish is well suited for. The struggles of Capricorn are becoming so forward-looking and goal-oriented that the pleasures and experiences of today are missed. The overextension of Capricorn energy in our lives can lead to overwork and defining our worth through our work. Too much dependence on Capricorn energy can measure the worth of everything by its end goal and, in turn, we lose out on the journey. If we learn to guard against these pitfalls and to honor the time that Capricorn energy needs in solitude and focus, we can create structures and foundations that'll guide and support generations (of people, plants, creatures) to come.

Steadying Our Vision
Capricorn Season Tarot Spread

Sitting down to read Capricorn energy is both a serious matter and a laughing matter. While the symbol of the goatfish represents Capricorn's ability to score the heights and depths with their persistence and planning, it's also a reminder that so much is out of our control and that there is a certain amount of strangeness and mystery involved. To do the things which have not been done requires some idiosyncratic approaches - hence the mighty goatfish. Ultimately, Capricorn energy in our lives is helping us to discover what it is that we uniquely require to thrive.

Capricorn asks, "What structure do you need in order to thrive?"

Being able to thrive as individuals means thriving in our communities, so there is already a strain and support (the needs of the goat versus the needs of the fish, for example) that is present when exploring Capricorn energy. Capricorn is (often secretly) a very optimistic sign and type of energy - they believe whatever needs to be done can be done, it just requires commitment to the work. I often think of Capricorn season's correspondence to the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere and the rebirth of the sun during the longest night of the year. While the focus is on the returning spark of light, it is the Capricornian energy of a supportive night that makes such brightness possible. The following spread helps us to shape the night which holds our stars to help us envision a future we want to create.

Card 1. That Which I Hope For

This card helps us connect to the vision of the future we are striving for in our life. It might be a grand vision or a much simpler next step, but this card helps us to name our hope.

Card 2. That Which Surrounds Us

This card helps us better understand our hope in our current environment. This card highlights what is supportive or not supportive to our hope.

Card 3. That Which Needs Structure

This card helps us understand a structural need in our life, whether that is creating more space for self-reflection, implementing a better time management system, or finally using a financial planning system that works for us, this card focuses on the practical needs of our hope.

Card 4. That Which Is Unexpected

This card explores the idiosyncratic energy of the goatfish and your own unique approaches and perspectives that your hope needs in order to create the future you're dreaming of.

Card 5. A Message for Capricorn Season

A general message, signs to pay attention to, and perhaps next steps to take as we move into Capricorn season. This card can highlight energy which you might bring more into your life during Capricorn season so that you are better able to connect with the energetic flow of the next month.

Bonus Card: That Which Guards the Skin & Bones

If you feel connected with the philosophy of astroherbology you can pull an additional card to help you understand the current energies of your skin, your body's largest organ, and bones, including physical experiences and energetic ones and what tension or wisdom you might be keeping there. I encourage you to take a somatic approach with this card - when you pull it and see the energy, follow the feelings and sensations that it evokes from your body to understand its meaning. 

image via @vjgalaxy

A Tea for Capricorn Season

How do we nourish the energy of Capricorn? Traditionally, Capricorn guards the skin, bones, the regulation of body systems, and the management of energy reserves (click here for a full list of traditional correspondences for Capricorn). Reading that list you may get the impression that Capricorn energy embodies a sort of tirelessness - and you would be right. There is work to be done and Capricorn energy is what helps us to do it. Many of the herbs traditionally associated with Capricorn are not the most pleasant tasting ("Pleasant tasting is not the point," I can hear some of my Capricornian readers muttering. "The point is for the tea to work."), but there are some familiar green jewels that we can rely upon to support us through Capricorn season. I like using Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) during Capricorn season because not only is it an herb that supports overall vitality but it helps lighten the mood as Capricorn energy can be very serious. Nettles (Urtica dioica) helps to take care of the skin and bones from the inside out and aligns with the practical and forward-looking nature of Capricorn to take your (herbal) vitamins everyday to help out your future self. Finally, a helpful dose of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) not only helps us keep Capricorn energy in perspective (there is a time for everything, including work and play), but it's a robust and restorative herb that supports our health in the long run.

• 4 parts Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 1 part Nettles (Urtica dioica)

• ½ part Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

These proportions are only suggested guidelines, so feel free to play around with them to your liking. As you make your tea, slow down, breathe deep, and infuse the blend with your intentions for the season (or whenever you’re drinking this tea to connect with the energy of Capricorn). If you’re looking for more breathwork practices to help you connect with the energy of the season, come this way.

image via @cedilicious

Seasonal Reflections

What does the land feel like, look like, smell like this season?

What is coming to the surface from within me?

What is receding within me?

What am I feeling grateful for?

What am I grieving for or feeling challenged by?

What am I feeling inspired and where is it calling me to this season?

What am I calling to me?

What am I called to give?

♑︎

Want to learn more about the magick and astroherbalism of Capricorn? I’ve written a full profile on the sign for you to enjoy. You can also check out the rest of my seasons of astrology series.

I've written about a number of Capricorn herbs over the years including Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) and Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) - both of which are essential in my winter wellness apothecary.

May your Capricorn season be the right mix of mundane and magickal, leading you ever onwards in the journey of understanding what it is that replenishes your hope.

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

A Gentle Tonic: Thyme Plant Profile

Friends!

I’m excited to share with you not only this new plant profile featuring beloved Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), but you now find and download all of my profiles from my newest offering - The Plant Ally Library! You can download a copy of the Thyme plant profile for free as a thank you for all your support over the years and I’ll hope you’ll check out The Plant Ally Library if you’re looking for the full collection of every plant profile I’ve ever written.

But now it’s time to talk about Thyme and why they are such a generous healer and friend of many a household. I love recommending plants like Thyme to you, dear reader, because they are naturalized in many parts of the world and easy to come by in markets or to grow on your own. Thyme is a plant that I rely on during the winter months and a steady ally for alleviating stress. So join me in learning more about a common herb with indispensable healing gifts.

image via @melanie_hnd

Thyme
(Thymus vulgaris)

Common + Folk Names : Common thyme, garden thyme

Tarot Cards : The Hermit

Element : Fire, Water

Zodiac Signs : Taurus (Guardian), Virgo (Guardian), Capricorn (Remedy)

Planets : Mars, Venus

Moon Phase : Waxing Quarter Moon

Parts used : Aboveground plant

Habitat : Native to Europe, Asia, and north Africa, but widely naturalized.

Growing conditions : Full sun in well-drained soil on the drier side.

Collection : Collect early in spring before flowering.

Flavor : Pungent

Temperature : Warm

Moisture : Dry

Tissue State : Damp/Stagnation, Damp/Relaxation, Cold/Depression

Constituents : Vitamin B, vitamin C, chromium, essential oil, labiatic acid, antioxidants, manganese, tannin, flavonoids, saponins, triterpenic acids

Actions : Anthelmintic, antibiotic, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitussive, aromatic, astringent, bronchodilator, carminative, decongestant, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, immunostimulant, rejuvenative, rubefacient, sedative (in small amounts), stimulant (in large amounts), vermifuge, vulnerary.

Main Uses : Thyme is one of my favorite kitchen garden remedies - I always have the fresh herb growing in my garden or at least dried leaves stored in my apothecary cupboard. It's an herb I turn to again and again in the winter months as a gentle daily tonic to strengthen the immune system, clear the airways, and as a warm digestive support during the feasting of winter months. I also turn to Thyme again as winter is receding and spring emerging to help strengthen my respiratory system so that I'm ready for the breath of fresh air that a new season brings. In fact, I add Thyme to most of my respiratory tonics because it is pleasing in taste and effective in its actions as a decongestant expectorant (i.e. being able to clear out mucous and help coughs be more effective). It is one of my favorite allies in removing respiratory infections from the body. 

Thyme strengthens the immune system without being over-stimulating and protects against bacterias and microbes. It shows up in a lot of cold and flu blends, especially ones to alleviate fever, because of its immune-supporting nature but also because it opens up the airways, relieves inflammation, improves circulation, and helps to reduce fevers as a diaphoretic (i.e. it induces sweating to help cool the body). Thyme is a helpful aid for dry and hacking coughs, sore throats, general congestion, and asthma. Traditional western herbalism folklore tells stories of Thyme as one of the four ingredients in the infamous Four Thieves Vinegar which was said to protect thieves from getting infected with the plague when they were robbing houses of the deceased. (1) This speaks to Thyme's well-respected position within the traditional western herbalism materia medica as a reliable ally against infections and illnesses of all sorts.

I also like to use Thyme for nervous system health. Thyme is not classically categorized as a nervine, but it certainly acts like one, helping to relieve tension and mental exhaustion. It helps to bring heightened energy down and loosen tension. I like to include it in breathwork blends because it's both wonderfully aromatic and enhances the physical breathwork experience. I love what Herbalist Karen M. Rose has to say about Thyme and the breath: "It helps us develop a better relationship with time, connects us to our breath, and keeps us in the present. It is excellent for the fear associated with the out-breath release, causing tension and spasms in the lungs." (3) Thyme helps us to settle into our practice while gathering our inner resources and loosening our belief that there is not enough time for all the work that needs to be done. The herb also helps to improve memory, cognitive function, and concentration.

Thyme is a helpful herb for digestion. Look for signs of cold and sluggish digestion alongside poor absorption of nutrients. It can be a helpful herb to support the recovery from eating something you are allergic too accidentally (i.e. a sensitivity to a food that causes discomfort - Thyme is not a treatment for serious allergic reactions like anaphylactic shock) and for folks who are starting to adjust their diet after identifying allergens.

Use Thyme topically for skin conditions like athlete's foot, ringworm, and candida. Helps to clear up dandruff and improve overall scalp health. Use as a wash for insect bites and wounds, and as a compress or in a salve to help open up the airways. An excellent herb for herbal steams and baths. Create an herbal oil to use for sore muscles and aching joints.

image via @fanjatastisch

Magickal Uses : Thyme is mentioned in both magickal and medical texts as an herb that aids in protecting against and relieving nightmares.  Interestingly, English Herbalist Thomas Bartram simply lists the word "Nightmare" in his description of Thyme without any elucidation and Scott Cunningham notes that it is an herb which aids sleep in addition to preventing nightmares. (2) Thyme is an herb of cleansing ritual spaces prior to rituals and is a good offering to holy ones. Add to healing spells of all sorts. It's an herb traditionally associated with courage and can be used in spells to increase the bravery of the practitioner. Herbalist Karen M. Rose mentions that Thyme is an herb associated with the Dead.(4) Use in funerary rites and to aid the grief process.

Thyme is a plant of the Good Folk and can be planted in the garden to call them in and honor their presence. Place morning dew found on Thyme on your eyelids and lie upon a hill to try and meet the Good Folk.

The Thyme Personality : I think there are two folks primarily aided by Thyme - the first is the person who carries so much tension that it is affecting their ability to breathe deeply (see Thyme and breathwork description above) and the other is someone who may have been described in generations as a bit fae. They occupy a space between the worlds more comfortably than most, can easily drift off into daydream (often as a coping mechanism), and see things from what others consider to be odd angles. Thyme folk have often been belittled and bullied for their perceived oddness and can sometimes even feel like they're not quite human. Some readers are thinking right now, "Sounds like you're describing someone who is neurodivergent" and you're not incorrect and Thyme may be a good ally for many a neurodivergent folk. The Thyme mind can seem out-of-step with mainstream culture when perceived by members of that culture and try to protect themselves by denying their differentness or falling so deep into it that they struggle to connect with other folks. As an ally, Thyme helps folk to arrive in the moment that they are in and create useful touchpoints or anchors to this world so that they can more easily move between their inner world and the outer world that they exist in. The movement of Thyme is one of fluidity, adaptability, and respect for the individual's experience. Thyme helps them to recognize their magick for the precious thing that it is and learn how to breathe deep into it, reassuring their nervous system, their heart, their self-perception that their difference is a gift.

Contraindications : Generally regarded as safe but avoid large amounts during pregnancy.

Drug interactions : None known.

Dosage : Standard dosage.

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If you want to download an easy-to-print copy of this plant profile come this way. Learn more about Thyme as an ally in community healing work and as an herb of Capricorn and Taurus.

If you’re interested in the connections of time and Thyme perhaps you’d like to practice some time travel either to the future or the past.

Finally, you can find my growing collection of free plant profiles over here and all of my plant profiles in The Plant Ally Library. Thanks for helping support this space as a garden of knowledge-sharing and plant allyship - may we grow together for many seasons to come!

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

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Footnotes

(1) Plot twist: Thyme probably wasn't in the original recipe. 

(2) Thomas Bartram, Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine (London: Constable & Robinson Ltd, 1998), 421, and Scott Cunningham, Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 2001), 243.

(3) Karen M. Rose, The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism: Transform, Heal, & Remember with the Power of Plants and Ancestral Medicine (Beverly, MA: Quarto Publishing, 2022), 42.

(4) Rose, 42.

Herbs for Breathwork + Respiratory Health

Last month I wrote about how breathwork is a community tool and works in online spaces (thank the Holy Ones for transcendent digital magick). I wanted to follow-up that post with suggested herbs that can assist us in our breathwork but are also useful for respiratory health in general. We're in the midst of protest season which is looking like it's going to be an appropriately long one also while living through a pandemic. Respiratory health, whether we're being exposed to viruses or chemicals like pepper spray and tear gas, is really important right now. Breathwork combined with attention to the bodily systems which help us breath helps us to return home to our bodies and nourish our nervous system after prolonged periods of stress. You can combine these herbs not only with your breathwork but with other centering and body-grounding practices like healing movement modalities, therapy and mental health practices, walking, sex and sensual touch, ritual and spellcraft, and more.

I've listed four categories of herbs that I think are particularly useful for breathwork: Nervines, Adaptogens, Respiratory Tonics, and Heart Tonics. There are so many herbs present in each of these categories that I could recommend but hopefully by describing the types and qualities of herbs I recommend you'll be able to find ones that you are already familiar with, that are stocked in your cabinet, and/or more regionally relevant.

I'll follow these categorical descriptions with short profiles on eight herbal allies that I've been turning to frequently these days. Since these are just short descriptions of each herb, it is important for you to do your research with reliable materia medicas and consult with herbalists for further information, contraindications, and stories that will deepen your relationship with our plant friends. Of course, when you are able to, meet these plant allies in spaces where they grow and ask to sit with them to learn directly from their wisdom.

image by Isaac Quesada

The Four Categories of Breathwork Herbs

Nervines are plants that calm the nerves and often nourish the nervous system. Since so much of breathwork is about interacting with our nervous system in healing and beneficial ways, helping us to return to a state of rest and digest, nervines are beautiful companion herbs and guides in our practice. They help us to relax and open up to breathing deep and purposefully. So many of our diseases and ailments either have roots in or are exacerbated by stress which is why knowing and working with nervines not only in breathwork but in daily life can be of such great benefit to us. Nervines include Milky Oat (Avena sativa), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), Holy Basil (Ocimum spp.), Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), and Catnip (Nepeta cataria).

Adaptogens are herbs that do a multitude of healing actions, but are probably known most popularly as helping us to adapt to stress. Adaptogens and nervines work well together and when it comes to breathwork, adaptogens can help us stretch back into ourselves after a period of prolonged stress. It's important to remember that adaptogens don't "cure" stress and are not meant to replace stress-reducing actions and choices in our lives from healthy movement to mindful consumption. And also, the reality is that many of us are dealing with tremendous social and political stress in our lives further impacted by global environmental changes. Adaptogens can help us develop a sense of resiliency and purpose so we are less distracted by stress and more invested in the tools which help us (such as breathwork) continue on in life with a feeling of wholeness and purpose. Some adaptogens are Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Holy Basil (Ocimum spp.), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) and Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea). The following wisdom from Toni Morrison from a talk at Portland Statue University in 1975 feels like an adaptogenic one to me, helping to tell the story of these plants:

“The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.”

Of course, if we're talking about herbs to support respiratory health, I'm going to feature Respiratory Tonics. These include herbs which can be immunostimulating (since the respiratory system is an primary entry way for viruses and bacterias) as well as decongestants, demulcents (herbs that moisten mucous membranes), and expectorants (herbs that relax lungs while promoting elimination of mucus from airways). Many respiratory tonics are also considered aromatics - herbs that are rich in volatile oils and deeply scented. Aromatics often do all the actions I just described for respiratory tonic herbs and have a wonderfully harmonizing or synergizing energy which helps to bring a blend together as well as helping a tea taste better. Respiratory tonics herbs include Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), Elecampane (Inula helenium), Licorice, Nettles (Urtica dioica), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Goldenrod (Solidago spp.), Wild Cherry Bark (Prunus serotina), and Pleurisy Root (Asclepius tuberose).

I also include Heart Tonics in my recommendations. In my experience, so much of breathwork is heart work. Yes, the benefits of mindful and meditative breathing are many - it is calming to our nervous systems, lower blood pressure, stimulate our immune systems, shift emotional and mental perspectives, disrupt anxiety and panic attacks, and so on. It is not unusual during breathwork and working with our respiratory system in general for there to be a feeling of opening, expanding, and along with that, grieving for un-grieved for experiences. Heart tonics help us to open our hearts with support (many heart tonics are protective along with being opening) and make space for grief to move through and out of our bodies instead of stagnating. Herbs include Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Rose (Rosa spp.), and Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca).

So sitting in the center of our circle, we sit with our backs against the tree of life, calling to us respiratory tonics from the east, nervines from the west, adaptogens from the south, and heart tonics from the north. Let's meet our plant allies gathered here... 

image by Wolfgang Hasselmann

Herbs for Breathwork + Respiratory Health

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) | Respiratory Tonic, Nervine
Mullein is great for all sorts of lung-related complaints from asthma to bronchitis, the herb opens the respiratory passageways helping us to breathe deeper and more effectively. It's a demulcent which also reduces inflammation and helps to protect against infection. Mullein is one of my favorite herbs for fire season here in California. Overall, it helps us to release tension from our bodies. Within breathwork, Mullein is good for those type of folks who overwork and stretch themselves thin - the herb helps them to soften and open up to relaxing as an act of justice and repair.

Elecampane (Inula helenium) | Respiratory Tonic, Heart Tonic
I've written a full plant profile on Elecampane and it is a well-regarded lung tonic in traditional western herbalism. The herb is an astringent decongestant as well as being antiseptic and antibacterial. It is really useful for treating chronic coughs and long-term lung complaints. Elecampane, also known as Elf Wort, has a traditional use for "elf shot" in Celtic culture which can be interpreted as a number of ways one of which is as a sudden energetic and emotional pain brought on by a traumatic event. Drop dosages of the herb or flower essence can be really helpful in cases like this. For breathwork, Elecampane is a helpful ally for those who are coming to the practice after a shock-inducing experience.

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) | Respiratory Tonic, Nervine
Yerba Santa is an astringent decongestant that dries up excess mucous by normalizing excess mucous secretion. Normalizing mucous secretion means that you won't have to go back and forth between too much and too little secretion leading to being too dried out and equally uncomfortable. Along with Mullein it is also one of my favorite herbs for fire season here in California. In addition to its powers of mucous normalization, Yerba Santa is antimicrobial and antiseptic. On an energetic level, Yerba Santa sticky resinous quality helps to pull up and out old grief and trauma so that you no longer have to carry it around. For breathwork, it can be helpful if you struggle with breathing out deeply.

image by Maude Frédérique Lavoie

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) | Respiratory Tonic
Thyme is one of my favorite kitchen garden remedies - I always have the fresh herb growing in my garden or at least dried leaves in my spice cupboard. I add it to most of my respiratory tonics because it is pleasing in taste and effective in its actions as a decongestant expectorant. Thyme strengthens the immune system without being over-stimulating and protects against bacterias and microbes. It is one of my favorite allies in removing respiratory infections from the body and one I turn to often in the winter months. Thyme is not classically categorized as a nervine, but it certainly acts like one, helping to relieve tension and mental exhaustion. For breathwork, beyond being wonderfully aromatic and enhancing the physical breathwork experience, Thyme helps us to settle into our practice while gathering our inner resources and loosening our belief that there is not enough time for all the work that needs to be done.

Plantain (Plantago spp.) | Respiratory Tonic
Ubiquitous Plantain is commonly used in traditional western herbalism for topical treatments but in recent herbs I've come to know the plant for its respiratory tonic qualities. I live in fire country and have started working with Plantain as a smoke relief ally. Plantain heals tissue internally as well as it does externally which is especially useful for healing post-exposure to environmental pollutants and chemical weapons such as pepper spray and tear gas. For breathwork (and any sort of mindful practice or magick), Plantain helps us remind us of the abundant truth that simple practices cultivate profound peace.

Holy Basil (Ocimum spp.) | Respiratory Tonic, Adaptogen, Nervine
Holy Basil, also known as Sacred Basil and Tulsi, is an antispasmodic demulcent and expectorant. The herb is immunostimulating and protective against microorganisms like Staph infection. It's a lovely warming plant and one of my favorite adaptogens helping to reduce anxiety while uplifting the spirit and sparking hope within us. Of course, I have a personal love for Holy Basil that is tied to the lessons I have learned sitting with this plant and its ancestral stories, but I can't help but feel that the recognition of Holy Basil as an earthly embodiment of the Goddess Lakshmi speaks to the sacredness that Holy Basil helps us to recognize in people and places. Within breathwork, Holy Basil helps us to connect to our holiness and the holiness of the moment while releasing those things which no longer serve us. Here is one of my favorite tea blends featuring Holy Basil.

image by Belinda Fewings

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) | Respiratory Tonic, Heart Tonic
Holy heart opener and guardian of the gates, Hawthorn is one of the most treasured heart tonics within traditional western herbalism. I've written about its power of thorn, how it helps us to thrive in eclipse season, and why it is one of my favorite autumn season herbs. Hawthorn is known as a cardiac tophorestorative which means that it acts as a restorative for our heart bringing our physical and energetic heart back into balance. The herb helps with the brave journey of opening up again after heartbreak - no easy task and yet one essential to healing. In breathwork, Hawthorn is the ally of the broken-hearted and those who avoid quiet contemplative practices because of their broken-heartedness. It is an herb that works best when taken over an extended period of time.

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) | Nervine, Heart Tonic
Rooibos is a relaxing nervine with anti-spasmodic qualities and cardioprotective qualities. It's one of my favorite herbs to use in daily morning teas - it's a gentle adaptogen, rich in antioxidants, incredibly calming to the nerves without being sedating, and it's just a really delicious tasting. Rooibos finds its way into many of my tea blends include this one for the First Harvest. Plants are storytellers and in this current wave of culture-changing Black Lives Matter protests, South African native Rooibos can act as an ancestral teacher and gifter of wisdom. For those of you of African descent wanting to work with ancestral herbs, Rooibos is one place to start since it is often easy to find and gentle enough for most folks to work with.  For folks of non-African descent we can learn from plants like Rooibos, too, practicing our listening skills and turning to quiet reflection with our plant teachers alongside the many other humxn teachers helping us to dream up a more just and kind future. Within breathwork, Rooibos helps us bring sweetness to our practice especially for those folks who have a hard time recognizing pleasure as an essential part of healing and justice work.

image by Kings Lee

Recommended Preparations

Many of the herbs above can be prepared in a variety of ways. I feel that the following three ways are particularly conducive to using these herbs in breathwork practices, but please use what you have available and what is appropriate for your individual needs. All of these preparations are water based and require very simple tools to make. 

Teas: One of our oldest forms of herbal medicine, teas or herbal tisanes - if we want to get fancy - are the infusion of plant material with water. Sitting with a cup of tea before, during, and after breathwork only enhances the experience in my opinion. Making tea can be a ritual, helping to set the space for your breathwork and, if drinking hot tea, the steamy aroma of the brew can further help to open airways and deliver the medicine through our breath. Typically, for herbal teas you’ll add 1 heaping teaspoon of herbs per 8 ounces of water and steep for 10 - 20 minutes.

Herbal Steams: Opening up the airways and delivery herbal medicine directly to our airways can be a lovely way to connect with plants before and during breathwork. Typically an herbal steam consists of pouring hot water over a bowl full of herbs and positioning your head above it so that you are breathing in the vapors. Some folks like to cover their head and the bowl with a towel, but this can be a bit too intense for others. It is important to be careful and not burn yourself with the steam which can be quite hot initially. I like to pour hot water over a bowl of herbs, cover with a towel and let sit for 5 minutes before breathing it. You can perform an herbal steam before breathwork or have a bowl of herbs and hot water positioned before you so that you are inhaling their fragrance while partaking in your breathwork practice.

Herbal Baths + Showers: Another option is to take an herbal bath or shower. Herbal baths consist of infusing your bathwater with herbs much like bathing in a large cup of tea. You can learn more about herbal baths and showers here. I like combining herbal baths and showers with breathwork because I find them inherently relaxing and opening - both energetic shifts useful for breathwork. While you can take an herbal bath or shower and then perform your breathwork, you can also perform simple and short breathwork while bathing. As a Witch, bathing is an opportunity for spiritual cleansing and releasing unwanted energetic entanglements - combined with herbs and breathwork bathing and showering can become a powerful ritual.

I hope that these suggestions are useful and that you are inspired to meet with any one of these plant teachers yourself. Be sure to check out my companion post on breathwork for more resources. If you're looking for more resources on herbs that help remind us of our wholeness check out my post on work and worth and those plant allies that are especially useful for the more sensitive among us. Since breathwork is often connected to (re)learning how to rest, here's my guide on how to find insights on ways to rest particular to your personal starmap.

If you’re looking for a deeper dive into breathwork, check out my course on the subject.

Finally, I just received a book in the mail today that I think many of you would find useful when it comes to the overall practice of arriving back into our bodies. Nourishing the Nervous System by tayla shanaye is a beautifully designed pocket-sized book (can I tell you of my deep love for pocket books?) with simple somatic exercises you can do daily for nervous system wellness. The book is produced by Loam which I was only recently introduced to (thanks, Yarrow!) and I’m sure many of you will be as happy to find them as I was.

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