It’s turned a bit chilly in the morning, and it’s dark when I get up, so I know Autumn is upon us! There’s a sense of urgency in the air as I work to harvest and preserve our garden bounty, and as the families in town start sending their kids back to school.
And although our days of formal schooling are long behind us, we are enjoying the many online learning opportunities coming our way in the next months. Between that, and a trip I have planned to visit family, I’m finding myself reaching for the same back to school tonics I used all those years ago.
First, for the body, I want to support my immune system, since flying is unavoidable for my trip, and we all know what a germy situation airplanes are. Since the immune system is a physical function, I’m looking at Spagyric Essences for support of the Body level of being, called Salt in our Paracelsian system.
The first Essence I think of is our Astragalus, made from the famous Chinese root used to boost the Wei Qi’s defensive energy and protect from “external pernicious influence”. I’m starting here because I have a couple weeks to build my system, and our Astragalus Essence is excellent for long-term, preventative use.
Another herb that’s great as a tonic and preventative is Yerba Santa, an aromatic (and delicious!) shrub of the desert West. The flavonoids in Yerba Santa tonify and strengthen the mucous membranes so that they are less permeable and reactive, so I use our Yerba Santa Essence at both the fall and spring transitions, since I find it helpful for allergies, too.
Once I am closer to traveling, I’ll start taking our Echinacea Essence. This is maybe the most famous immune herb, and widely used, but I find it most helpful when immune “danger” is imminent- for a few days before and throughout travel, for when people around me are sick, or if I start to feel something coming on.
If I know that the germs around me are flu, or if I start to feel feverish, I’ll add some of our Elder Essence. This plant has an ancient history of use for magic and medicine, and modern research has shown it to be specific against influenza, reducing the severity and duration of infection.
If I’m not sure what germs are floating around assailing me, and I just want some good defenses for my respiratory system, I rely on two herbs with intense protective qualities: Usnea and Oshá.
Usnea is a lichen, a symbiotic colony of fungus and algae, that grows on trees in many temperate areas, and is especially abundant here. It is a broad spectrum anti-microbial, with action against bacteria and fungus. It has a special affinity for the respiratory system and its “wind-borne diseases”, as I discussed in this post. For these types of ailments, I use our Usnea Essence alone, or combined with other Spagyrics, depending on the character of the infection.
If the illness has brought thick mucus and unproductive coughing, my first go to is our Oshá Essence. This spicy root of the mountain west is a warming, bracing tonic to all the defensive systems of the body, rallying them to fight off nearly any type of invader. Its aromatic compounds are excreted through the lungs, where it creates an anti-microbial shield and increases moisture to thin phlegm and help move it out.
For the mental and intellectual aspects of back to school season, the targeted level of Spagyric is our Spiritualized Essence. This level supports the Spirit, which includes the mind and emotions and their functions of gaining knowledge and wisdom.
One of my favourite herbs in any form I can think of is Rosemary. I use it in cooking, cleaning, magick and medicine, and always have it in my garden. It’s a complex plant, rich in healing properties and useful for many things, but its support of brain function is what we need it for at this time of year! Our Rosemary Spiritualized Essence is brightening and stimulating to brain function and mental sharpness, helping with both recall and mood.
Rosemary is a key ingredient in our Mega Brain Somalixir, along with other herbs to protect the physical brain and nerve tissue, and support its functions of memory and concentration. This formula is helpful for long, focused study in which attention needs to be contained to one topic.
If multitasking and mental agility are what you need, consider our Bling Somalixir. Bringing an energy of nimbleness and adaptability to thought, it’s perfect for lively discussion and debate, multi-disciplinary studies linking diverse concepts, or just busy days where the attention needs to quickly jump from one thing to the next.
One of the herbs in Bling is Celastrus, called “Magzsudhi”, meaning “brain clearer”. That name really sums up the mental clarity and flow that our Celastrus Initiatic brings. The ability to weave together complex information is supported by Celastrus, making is an ally for many types of spiritual practice as well as study.
Mental stimulation can go too far, or be unhelpful for some, so we also have Spagyrics to calm the mind and bring clarity through peacefulness.
Skullcap is a classic nervine- an herb which not only calms the mind, but nourishes the nervous system’s structures and functions as a tonic. Our Skullcap Spiritualized Essence untangles the mental clutter and confusion that can happen from stress and overwork, leaving the mind calm and clear, and better able to think and reason. It also brings a calm sense of detachment, especially helpful for keeping a balanced perspective during high-stress times like exams.
Finally, a formula we seem to recommend more than any other- our Shen Somalixir. This well-rounded combination supports a calm but uplifted mood, a mind clear of distraction and confusion, and a peaceful serenity that is like a bubble of stillness in even the most hectic day. If you find that busy or stressful days leave you mentally scattered and overstimulated but also tired, you should consider supporting your Shen energy, and this is the tonic for that healing!
