Well, some stresses are past, and others are in the future, and here we all are, in this moment between.
Wednesday morning I woke up thinking about times we’ve been at events during election season and other difficult cultural shifts, and I remembered how folks would drift in and out of the booth, each person asking about the piece of the situation they needed help with, and I would turn to the rows of bottles all around me, asking “who wants to help?”
I can’t talk to each of you individually in that same way over the internet, but one thing I’ve learned from our years in the booth is that, deep inside, our similarities outnumber our differences, and I can draw on that even without an in-person connection. With that in mind, I wandered through our stockroom, asking “who wants to help?”, and here are the replies I got:
For releasing the stresses past:
Tulsi, and Tulsi, and more Tulsi. Planted around gardens in India, as well as around temples, Tulsi is a protective, clearing herb that keeps negativity at bay with her incomparable fragrance and healing power. Our Tulsi Magistery feels like being smudged, as you watch any negativity that you’ve absorbed drift away, replaced by a lovely calm clarity.
Our Tulsi Spiritualized Essence has a similar effect, but on a more tonic level, so if you find your vitality and physical health have also gotten muddied, it’s a good adaptogen to bring you back to balance. I also suggest finding some Tulsi herb to brew up as a tea to drink throughout your day- hot or cold, it’s delicious!
If your system responds to stress by becoming too wound up to sleep, and yet too tired to wake up and function, you have my sympathies. The best remedy I’ve found for the state I call “tired-and-wired” is our Ashwagandha Essence. A great Ayurvedic adaptogen, Ashwagandha works to normalize many body functions, and it is especially balancing to overworked adrenals, bringing them out of “fight or flight” mode and into a state of calm, but real and sustainable, strength. Try it before bed to balance the sleeping-waking cycle, and you’ll feel it all the next day as a deep reservoir of energy.
In contrast, if you’re all “wired” with no “tired”, even when it’s late and you just need to sleep, our Passionflower Essence might be just the thing. Deeply relaxing to body and mind, Passionflower eases muscle tension and lifts the mind into a blissful state, right before dropping into sleep.
In smaller doses, it’s helpful for calming anxiety in the mind and tension in the body, so also consider it if you’re needing to come down a few notches in the daytime, too. For before bed use, take your dose and do some slow stretching; during the day, pair it with deep breathing.
For collecting yourself in the present:
It’s easy to ignore your own nurturance when everything around you is chaotic, and stress is notoriously hard on the immune system. If you’ve been neglecting your self-care and counting on sheer will to keep your physical health together, take a moment to catch up with yourself, check in, and give your body some love.
Our Green Propolis Spiritualized Essence is one of my favourites for a fast immune reboot, and whenever I taste its spicy heat, I feel invincible for the rest of the day. Propolis is made by bees to protect the hive from pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungus, and we can also count on it to boost our own defenses and keep illness at bay. Add some delicious honey to your diet, especially monoflorals from medicinal herbs like lavender, eucalyptus, or manuka, and you’ll have another layer of support.
Of course, fungus can also be our allies, and this time of year, they “mushroom” up all over our area. Mushrooms are attacked by many of the same illnesses as we are, and so their defenses align very well with ours. Our Six Mushroom Formula is a well-rounded immune booster, nutritional support, and energy tonic, and we know many of you rely on it to enjoy the winter season in good health. Also consider adding any medicinal food mushrooms you can find to your diet: Maitake and Lion’s Mane are special treats, while Shiitake is easy to find and delicious to eat.
I recently read some wise advice: depression is about the past, and anxiety is about the future. Easy to understand, but not always easy to implement when our minds so love to drift back and forth anywhere but the now. Our Here & Now Somalixir supports that state of one-pointedness, centering the body, mind, and soul into the same present place so that clarity and immediacy become our jumping-off point. Try our Here & Now with Yoga asanas like Tree, or any standing balance poses, which also work to focus attention.
For moving forward with power and purpose:
Once we have cleared out the old and pulled ourselves together, we need new perspectives and insights into the path ahead. The best formula we’ve found for this is our Abra-Melin Somalixir, a combination based on a 14th century incense formula used for connection with the Holy Guardian Angel.
Whether you relate to an outer, angelic being, or want to draw upon your own best wisdom and highest insights, Abra-Melin is a powerful support for finding the gifts you alone can offer, and the best way to offer them to the world. This is my go-to formula whenever things around me are changing and I feel adrift, and it always helps me be sure I am acting from the wisest instincts of my nature. Abra-Melin can be used as part of your daily activities, to be guided in a subtle, flowing way, or before a more purposeful meditation to find the inner voice of guidance.
I know many of my friends are feeling defeated right now, and so I imagine many others I don’t know share that feeling. If you need some help getting your fight back, our Devil’s Club Spiritualized Essence is ready to fire you up!
A tonic herb of the Northwest, related to Ginseng, Devil’s Club is an adaptogen and immune booster, but its subtle level gifts are what we’re calling on here. It is a prickly, well-defended plant that grows in dense thickets that protect the ancient trees, and the First Nations of our area consider it the defender of the forest. It’s a classic herb of Mars, with much to teach about the the balanced use of power. If you’re supporting your Spagyric use with Yoga, Devil’s Club and Warrior Pose are a powerful combination.
Finally, one last idea and energy that most would agree we’re short on: unity. We created our Unity Somalixir some time ago as more of a general support than in response to anything happening at the time, but it’s perfect whenever you need a unified frame of mind, both within yourself and with others. Whether you’re hoping to build a bridge of understanding with our wider culture, or with that one relative from the other side of the political spectrum, Unity will help you navigate the months ahead with grace and compassion.
