Nervines for Fresh Horrors
What plants and practices can help us find balance in the age of aquarius?
We live in a world full of computers and electronic devices, so it's easy to forget that we are not computers - we can't turn off and on with the press of a button.
Our bodies and minds need to be gently encouraged to increase or decrease activity.
This is often over-looked in the evening when we are trying to relax after a busy day. it's easy to get sucked into the phone, tablet or computer screen, which we know is not great before bed! The blue light and the anxiety-inducing information to name a few, may prevent us from getting the rest we need to show up whole-heartedly in our communities, our places of work and bring our unique selves to our highest work.
It's hard to un-plug! And it's important to take breaks from various forms of input, be it emotional (like enraging headlines), sensory (like music, bright lights), even social engagement, mental tasks and physical activity need to be in balance.
Creating boundaries around when and where we use devices can help clarify when we are "on" v "off."
It's easy for the phone to creep in, so this is a friendly reminder to take breaks from addictive apps, create a no-phone zone in your home space, and to be OK with not constantly being available.
there are a many plants that are also super helpful at helping us to wind down. somehow along the millenia of evolution the plant ancestors (plants are evolutionarily much older than humans) found ways to be useful to us two-leggeds.
The plants realized that if they created phytochemicals (plant chemicals) to help us relax, we would do them the favor of propagating them and keeping them around in our gardens or seeking them out in the wilds.
A couple of my go-to herbs that are very safe for most people, and easy to engage with and are easy to prepare as a tea or use as a tincture are:
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Lavender (Lavendula spp.)
Hops (Humulus lupulus)
In fact, hops are used in beer, which is part of the reason that beer is relaxing. Next time you think of reaching for a beer, perhaps go for a cup of Catnip tea! These handful of plants, and many, may more are referred to as nervines, which is a classification of plants that work on the nervous system.
Finding a nervine that feels like a good fit can make a world of difference when we are trying to wind down. Something that hits in just the right ways (for example a blend of mental and physical) is a unique choice from person to person and can vary in situations.
All of the nervines I mention here are very gentle and are safe to play around with dosage at home, without concern of contraindication of pharmasuticals or existing conditions. Keep in mind, some individuals may be allergic to the herb it's self, so it's always a good idea to start with a smaller dosage and work your way up to a dose that works for you.
Next Steps:
Build in time for transitions between work or on-line activity and bed
Create screen free zones or times of the day
Consider working with one or two relaxing herbs to experiment how it feels to support relaxation during your down-time, as a bagged or loose leaf tea, or tincture.
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